The Alpha of Zero
by CrimsonBlade11
Summary: Louise wants an awesome Familiar, eh? Well, let's see how she responds when gains not a regular boy as a Familiar, but a soldier who specializes in subversive tactics, stealth combat and anti-magic. Meet Lyall, a smart-ass who loves to get a rise out of his comrades. Let's see how Halkigenia fares when they have to deal with a half-elf mage hunter. Let the mayhem commence...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Familiar of Zero, only the D&D character that causes mayhem and discord.

**A/N:** _Well, here's my first foray into the realm of crossovers. I've had this idea dancing it's way around my brain, that I couldn't leave it alone. I had to get it out, else it take complete control._

_Anyway, not much to say, aside from the fact that there will most likely be deviations from ZnT canon for the simple fact that Lyall is, well, kind of broken in certain situations, considering his classes…_

_Oh, and the length of this chapter will probably not be a norm for future ones. I have other fics I have obligations to, in addition, this chapter simply set the stage/tone for the fic as a whole._

_Anyway, read, review, enjoy!_

**The Alpha of Zero**

Chapter One

An Unfortunate Occurrence

**Shield Lands**

I sprinted across the battlefield, my cloak billowing behind me. Arrows zipped by my head as I ducked the side, evading the barrage of missiles. Ducking behind the cover of trees, I drew my bow and knocked an arrow. Taking aim around my cover, I released the wooden missile, watching it fly towards my target. He hefted his shield and slapped it away, destroying it instantly. Clicking my tongue, I put the bow away and drew my twin blades, a pair of hand-and-half swords that have served me well these passed few years. I pulled my mask up and my hood over my head, deciding to vanish into the battle as I charged. Closing in on him, I leapt forward, flipping over the armored general. When I landed behind him, I quickly brandished my weapons, aiming to tear into the man's back and sever his spine. He spun and met one of my blades with his shield, pushing me back.

I danced around the man, using my superior agility to try and work around his defenses. He swung his single-handed long sword in a well-trained, well-versed form that made me believe that if he struck, it would definitely hurt, if not kill me outright. Metal clanged against metal; steel against steel; an immovable wall versus the constantly moving blades; we moved in such a way that would make an untrained warrior believe they were participating in dance. However, they would only be half wrong. To me, battle _is_ a dance; a dance with death, in which missing a single step would result in losing your head.

Well, that could be a generalization, as a friend of mine would put it.

My battle-hardened senses started to act up as I quickly realized that someone was trying to strike me from behind. Ducking an overhead slash meant to decapitate me; I quickly bent my knees and pushed all of the strength I had into my legs. Kicking myself upwards, I watched as the general swung his sword one final time, trying to eviscerate me in the middle of my sudden, temporary retreat. Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for him, he missed me by the skin of my teeth and instead tore into the very person who moved in to aid him, slashing the man open in the stomach.

I felt pity for the man, coupled with a feeling of triumphant glee, as I descended back down due to gravity's pull. Landing behind the general, I quickly capitalized on his momentary surprise and hesitation and brought my swords to bear. Three slashes ended our encounter; three slashes brought him to his knees before me; three slashes took the man's life.

The first went low, tearing into the man's inner thigh and cutting into an artery.

As he dropped to a knee, the second went downwards, black steel effortlessly carving through armor and into bone.

The third finished the fight. Soaring through the air with finality, it carved through his neck and removed the general's head.

At the moment of his death, I stabbed the sword in my left hand into the ground and reached into my pouch. Pulling out a small ball, I lifted my foot and struck it across my heel, generating a spark. Tossing the ball into the air, I waited and watched as it exploded in a shower of light and noise.

Leaning against the tree near my previous battle, I released a tired breath, feeling fatigued from the exertion. The last fight was nowhere near an easy one, taxing my agility and endurance to its limit. Though I was tasked with defeating the enemy army's general, I wasn't exactly confident with how it could've ended up. However, as I was known for my speed on the battlefield, I was trusted with quickly eliminating an opponent known for weathering attacks from several people at once.

I had gotten lucky.

But then again, fortune has continued to favor me in the end.

"Lyall."

I looked over to the source of the voice: a tall, well-built man with medium length brown hair and blue eyes dressed in silvery Elven chainmail strode over to me. He was quite literally a walking armory, carrying a two-handed sword and a broken double-sided great axe on his back and on either side of his waist was a long sword and an adamantine battle axe.

"Evanger." I said, exhaustion evident in my voice. Lifting a hand, I pulled down the half mask from my nose and mouth, releasing a small breath.

"You did it." He paused as he continued to walk towards me. Extending a hand, he continued, "I stayed as close as I could…"

I gave him a tired look but grabbed his hand, letting him pretty much lift me from the ground without as much a grunt. "Thanks for the effort, but I wanted to finish it as soon as possible. Running all the way across the entire damn battlefield was exhausting and frustrating. Do you have any idea how many of our people happened to be firing arrows towards the very enemy regiment I was sneaking through?" I snorted, pushing my hood off and grabbing my swords from the ground. Sheathing them, I grimaced, "It was damn near worse than dodging a Chain Lightning."

The knight let out a small laugh. Smacking me on the back good-naturedly, he smiled, "At least we're one step closer to reaching Iuz's capital. This offensive was long in waiting."

"Yeah, whatever." My retort garnered a tired glare from him, but he shrugged it off. I leaned down and picked up the fallen general's long sword. Holding it to him, I said, "Here, take it. It's adamantine. I don't know of the enchantments on it, but it'll most likely suit you better than me."

Evanger gave me a slight look before nodding his head. Taking the weapon, he led me back to the camp.

* * *

**Tristain**

"Well, I believe that's everyone." A bespectacled man dressed in robes and holding a wooden staff nearly as long as he was tall spoke amicably.

"Actually, Mister Colbert, Zero hasn't done the summoning yet!" A student called from the group of newly christened second years.

"Oh, is that true, Miss Valliere?" Mister Colbert asked the small student who stepped out of the crowd.

She nodded. Standing in front of the crowd, Louise closed her eyes and focused on the spell she was about to cast.

* * *

**Shield Lands**

I pulled my armor back on and adjusted my dark grey cloak. Pushing a hand through my long black hair, I allowed it to fall over my subtly pointed ears and just above my pale grey eyes. Grabbing the extra cloth that hung in the front of my armor, I pulled it up and over my face just above my nose. Covering my face, at first, was just something I wanted to do when I just started in the military, but as I moved up in the ranks and joined the Grey Cloaks, it became a necessity. My group and I had done so much to stop Iuz and his army, that any information on us was prized almost as high as the House of Lords. So much has happened; so little rest to be had; it was still only a day since the latest skirmish, but it felt like I had just stepped off the blood-strewn field of battle.

As I strapped on my bandolier of throwing daggers, I felt something tug at the back of my mind.

"…_servant that existed…_"

I pressed a hand to my head and gritted my teeth, trying to fight off whatever attack was happening. Sucking in a breath, I reverted back to my specialized training and blanked my thoughts.

It did nothing to stop the voice.

Wait? A…voice…?

"…_heed my call…_"

Shaking my head, I grabbed one of my sheathed bastard swords and strapped it to my back. Also, I took one of my short swords and slid it into the sheath attached to my belt.

"…_bottom of my heart…_"

I hissed out a breath, the incessant scratch at the back of my mind pulling me to the exit of my tent. Walking towards it, I pushed it open and saw something that brought forth a frustrated tick to my brow. "Are you kidding me?" I said through gritted teeth.

Floating in front of the exit of my tent was a large, green oval portal.

Once again, I heard the voice in the back of my mind.

"…_guidance and appear!_"

A sudden pain erupted from my mind as I pressed a hand to it. Staggering forward, I suddenly found myself falling into the portal.

It seemed like my luck had finally run out yesterday.

…Or had it?

* * *

**Tristain**

**-Lyall-**

Smoke flowed around me after I seemingly came to a stop, resting on the ground. Sitting there in a wary crouch, I waited for a moment and stood to my full height. Allowing my cloak to hide my arms and allowed my hands to slowly reach towards one of the several bladed weapons I had sheathed.

When the smoke finally cleared, I was greeted by the sight of a young girl standing in front of me. She was smaller than most and had hair so light a strawberry blonde that I swore it was pink. Her eyes were a tinge of color that nearly matched her outrageously colored hair. She seemed to be frozen place, as if she was unable to move under my gaze. I blinked, slowly taking in the sight before me as I gradually turned and took in my new surroundings. I froze lightly when I saw a large blue dragon sitting behind a girl with equally blue hair. I felt my hand twitch lightly towards the short sword under my cloak, but stopped. _Why hadn't it attacked yet? Blue dragons are evil…_

"Children?" I whispered, barely moving my lips beneath my mask. I slowly turned back to the girl in front of me, who was giving me an irate glare, and spoke out loud, "Who are you and why have you called me here?"

She scrunched her eyebrows at me, then replied in a language escaped me.

* * *

**-Louise-**

I covered my face, trying not to breath in the smoke that happened from the backlash of my spell. I pulled my hand from my face, trying to get the first look at my Familiar. Did I do it? Was I able to make good on my boast? Did I something beautiful, powerful and majestic enough to put Kirche and their place? Was I finally able to relieve myself of that dreadful moniker of 'Zero'?!

When the smoke finally cleared, I finally saw the fruits of my labor…

A commoner clad in a long grey, fur-like cloak stood in front of me. He had the look of a commoner, I knew that instantly, but he had the feel of something…more. The commoner was a man with long black hair that fell over his ears and a few inches below them. The bottom half of his face was covered with a piece of black cloth, giving his a roguish appearance.

He may have had the garb of a commoner, but he had the bearing of a noble. I'm not a warrior, but I've seen enough from my father to notice how a warrior carried himself. The man before her stood straight-backed, shoulders pushed out and head held high. However, that wasn't what scared me the most. It was his eyes; those grey orbs of his were flinty and piercing. As he watched me, I couldn't bring myself to move, frozen under the scrutiny of the man before me. When he finally looked away from me, I was able to relax slightly.

However, as he turned, I steeled myself. I needed to show this commoner who his Master was.

When he finally spoke, I heard nothing but nonsensical sounds. _Does my familiar not know how to speak properly?_

"Familiar, tell me your name." I demanded from him.

Unfortunately, he did not answer me. Instead, he simply lifted his hand and rubbed his chin contemplatively. I managed to hear a mutter from him. He cleared his throat and began speaking again, this time in a sound that could be best described as a heavenly chant; I managed to conceal the positive tingle that shot down my back as I heard the glorious sound.

Shaking my head, I opened my mouth to say something, but was cut off by him saying something else. However, this time, he spoke with growls and hisses, causing the dragon behind Tabitha to perk up. I gave her a look, then looked back to my familiar.

After a moment, I heard him groan and saw him scratch his head.

Unfortunately for him, my patience was slipping enough as it is. Before he could try a third time, I lifted my wand and channeled my magic…

* * *

**-Lyall-**

When I failed to understand the young girl in front of me, I debated on trying out some of my own languages, to see if I could find a connection. First, I decided to try Celestial; after all, what better way of getting on the good side of people is there if you speak the language of angels…unless they're evil, that is.

"Do you understand me now?" I softened my tone, as the words rolled off my tongue. Celestial was always easy on the ears, and throat, so I found it a little amusing when I noticed the girl shiver lightly in front of me, though I concealed the amusement.

When that didn't get me anywhere, I decided to switch to Draconic. Although it's the language of dragons, any self-respecting wizard or sorcerer knows the language. I should know, the one I've adventured with for several years learned it pretty early. As I spoke, I couldn't help but notice the dragon lift its head, no doubt in shock that I could fluently speak its native tongue.

That got me nowhere. So I decided to attempt Elven before venturing into my favorite language for cursing in combat, Orcish. The latter's not exactly the language you speak in front of impressionable children.

However, before I could say anything, I noticed her lift a wand and point it at me. I froze and felt my eyes widen. Before I could do a thing, something exploded in front of me. Jumping back, I flipped away from her and planted on the ground a few feet away from her and group of others. Planting my feet firmly on the ground, I placed a hand on the ground and another near one of my hidden blades. Narrowing my eyes, I allowed my voice to roll out in a threatening tone. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

In response, I heard a cough and a pleasantly feminine voice. "Aw, c'mon! I thought summoning a familiar would st-" She froze, the smoke clearing, and she looked as though she realized something. "Wait I understood you!"

I blinked lightly, surprised at the same revelation, but composed myself and replied darkly, "And I you; however, that doesn't excuse just what happened. As I asked before, who are you and why have you called me here?" As I spoke, I couldn't help but glance to the side, getting a very bad feeling that there was someone else here vastly more dangerous than the girl who blasted. My eyes honed in on the balding gentleman in what resembled blue robes. He carried a tall wooden staff and wore glasses.

In that instant, he noticed that I was a soldier in the same way that I did.

The man cleared his throat, "I understand your shock, sir." He spoke carefully, clearly taking this situation for what it was: a stand-off between a trained killer and a child. "But I assure you, this isn't what you think."

I stood slowly, keeping one hand hidden inside of my cloak. "I see…"

"This is simply a school where we teach young nobles. Tristain Magical Academy. Everyone here is a student. I assure you, this place is safe."

I blanked my thoughts, preventing any possibly mental attacks. When none came, I allowed myself to relax, but remained focused on the so-called teacher who was walking towards the girl. "A school? That answers one question, but doesn't answer the first two I asked."

He smiled patiently. "That's simple. My student, Miss Louise summoned you to be her familiar."

I couldn't stop my confusion from becoming apparent. "Huh?"

"What Professor Colbert is saying, _Familiar_, is that I summoned you and that I am your Master." The girl, who I'm guessing is Louise, said haughtily. I gave her an empty look, but felt myself unable to hold back laughter.

Reaching up, I pulled down my mask and leaned my head back lightly, letting the laughter just flow out of me. Letting my shoulders, I felt a relieved smile tug at the corner of my mouth. "I'm stuck here, aren't I? There's no way back?"

Colbert was shocked silent for a moment, but gave me a rueful smile. "No, I'm afraid it's impossible."

I allowed my smiled to spread into a grin. "Looks like the they have to finish the fight without me…"

Off to the side, I heard one of the other kids speak out loud. "It's just like Louise the Zero to summon a crazy Familiar! And a commoner at that!" I looked to the side, seeing a dark-skinned redhead leading the jeering.

After looking towards the group, I shook my head and began striding back towards Louise and Colbert. During my walk, I heard her speak. "Professor Colbert, can't I try again? Can't I try to summon another familiar?"

"No, Miss Valliere, the Springtime Summoning Ritual is a sacred event. You can't attempt it a second time." Colbert scolded the young girl.

I let a chuckled escape me as I strode purposefully towards the pair. "I'm insulted. You want to trade me in and you haven't even asked what I can do." I came to a stop in front of her, giving her a small smile as I paused.

Louise's face turned a shade darker as she looked up to me. I saw her clench her fist as she said, "Don't patronize me, Famili-"

"Lyall." My voice was soft as I cut her off.

She froze again, but quickly looked away from me. "Just lean down…" I smirked, doing as she asked. Though I was a little surprised when she said, "You should feel honored; it's not everyday a noble does this for a commoner…" Before I could question that, I was cut off by her soft lips pressing against mine.

After a few moments, she broke away from and took a step back. I arched an eyebrow at her and opened my mouth to speak, but felt a burning pain on the back of my left hand. Grimacing, I lifted said hand and gave the gauntlet a glare before pulling it off. "What did you do to me?" I said as I watched a set of runes burn themselves into the back of my hand. It was after a few moments of biting back the pain that the burning stopped and I stared at the finish product of runes on the back of my hand.

"What is that?" Colbert said as he leaned over my shoulder. I jumped away, completely caught off guard and surprised at the man's sudden appearance. It seems I may have a rival in the stealth department.

"I have no clue. Magic is not specialty." I watched as he wrote down the runes that had taken house on my hand. Sliding my bare hand back into my gauntlet, I looked over to Louise and spoke. "I believe that you and I have some speaking to do."

Several moments, I was lead into Louise's dormitory. After getting comfortable, I went about grilling my 'Master' for some info about this new world I found myself in. When I got everything I wanted, using my well trained skill of persuasion, I rubbed my face in frustration. After hearing the little mage explain to me about this school, Tristain Magical Academy, and that people who were born with magic were nobles. This was my worst nightmare or a wet dream if I was a sadistic bastard. Either way, I was currently residing in a school meant for sorcerers. A school meant to teach self-entitled brats who did nothing to earn their position.

Auren would have a field day with this.

* * *

**-Louise-**

_My Familiar is freakishly persuasive._

That was the first thing I realized after we reached my dorm. I had planned on simply answering one or two questions, just to give him what I thought he needed to serve me. It didn't exactly go that way; he asked me about the country: the name, geographical location, and where the crown was. He asked about the academy: the students here, the teachers, and what rooms were what. He asked me about the nobility: about how they were chosen, why they were chosen, and how many I could tell him.

I swear if he asked me to tell him my life story, then I probably would have.

Shaking my head, I turned from him and approached my dresser. Opening it, I shrugged out of my cloak. After I removed my skirt, he spoke up, "What are you doing?"

"Changing, obviously."

"Then let me leave." I heard him stand and begin walking.

"Why would you leave?"

"I'm a man, you're a girl. The respectful thing for me to do would be to leave when you're changing." He said as he continued walking towards the door.

"Stay, Familiar." He stopped and felt myself smile as he finally listened to my orders. "While I commend you for desiring to treat me, your Master, with respect, you must understand something. As a Familiar, you are to stay by my side and protect at all times. You're not a man to me; you're like a dog."

"I see…" He said quietly, in a voice that struck me as…different. I heard him turn and clear his throat. "May I say something, 'Master'?"

I felt the corner of my mouth twitch as I turned to face him. "See here, Familiar, I do not li-" I was struck silent by the look in his eyes. He was simply looking at me, but the way his eyes were looking at me was just like earlier, cold, flinty and empty of emotion.

"I want you to understand something, Miss Louise. I am not an animal you can command. I am a hunter, a warrior and a killer. I have seen terrors that would leave a lesser man whimpering; I have stood against horde after horde of undead abominations. I have tasted death and stood moments after." He slowly walked towards me, like a predator approaching his prey. "All I ask from you is a single thing: respect. If my duty is to protect you, then you won't get so much as a scratch, but you'll have to let me do it my way. You will not refer to me as 'Familiar' but as the name I have given you." He paused, then continued after a moment. "Are we in agreement?" His voice softened near the end.

Against my control, I felt my legs buckle and nearly collapsed. But he caught me. Lyall caught me…

"I was brought here to ensure your safety. To do that, I require that you show me the appropriate respect. However, I know you have no reason to at the moment; you have yet to see what I am capable of. So, please, hold off on your judgment of me until after I can show you what it is I can do…"

* * *

**-Lyall-**

"Just what in the hell did I get myself into?" I asked myself as I sat on the edge of the outer wall of the academy, staring in complete confusion at the two moons in the night sky.

I was out of my cloak and armor, having left it and my bandolier of daggers back in Louise's room. She had fallen asleep a few moments earlier and I had opted to use the time given to me to familiarize myself with the academy grounds. Why? I'm a soldier/adventurer. What self-respecting adventurer doesn't make sure he knows that lay of the land in case a fight breaks out?

However, I didn't leave unarmed; I still had my bastard sword and a short sword. I was miffed at myself for forgetting my second bastard sword, as I prefer wielding the both of them, but the smaller sword that rested in its sheath would have to do.

Releasing a breath, I turned and stepped off the outer wall, falling to the ground below. Planting my feet on the wall, I used it to slow my descent as I quickly the ground. Landing in a crouch, I found that I was next to another person, who jumped in surprised at my sudden appearance. She dropped her wooden bowl and jumped away in shock, except she caught her foot on the flat surface and began to fall backwards. Seeing it happen, I allowed my reflexes and dexterity take care of it instantly. Catching the bowl at the bottom, I smirked as not a single drop of the water inside sloshed out. Throwing out my second hand, I caught the falling woman at her lower back, holding her still.

"I apologize for appearing out of nowhere." I smiled lightly, helping her to stand on her own. "It's kind of a bad habit I have."

The girl nodded to me, seemingly accepting my apology. "Oh, it's okay. You surprised me, is all. I wasn't expecting someone to drop from the sky…" She blushed lightly as I held the bucket to her. "Ah, thank you…" She took it, making sure to get a firm grasp.

I paused, then released a small breath. "Where are my manners? I haven't introduced myself yet." I took a step back and bowed lightly to her. "My name is Lyall, Miss. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." I stood slowly, giving the girl before me my most charming smile.

She flushed and quickly placed her bucket on the ground, curtsying in response. "I'm Siesta, sir. I had no idea I was in the presence of nobility."

I couldn't hold back my snort as I shook my head. "I assure you, I am the farthest thing from a noble here. You could say I'm the exact opposite."

Siesta cocked her head to the side, clearly confused. "Really, but from the way you speak…"

"Just something that was taught to me by a noble from my land. He was rather adamant that I learn to converse properly." I paused, rubbing my chin in thought. "I do slip up at times, but only under certain circumstances."

She gave me a contemplative look, and then I noticed her eyes moving to the hilt that stuck out over my right shoulder. "Mister Lyall, are you a warrior? That's a rather dangerous looking sword you have there."

"Just Lyall. I'm nowhere near old enough to be called 'Mister'." Then I looked to the sword on my back. "This old thing?" I shook my head, "It's no danger to you. I only use it under special circumstances…" Shaking my head, I let out a small laugh. "Enough of that, it's late. Do you mind if I walk with you? The night can be dangerous for a young woman, no matter the area."

Siesta's eyes widened as she quickly shook her head. "Oh, no. I couldn't ask you to do that! I mean, you must have other things to do, as a noble's familiar and all…" She leaned down to pick up her bucket, but I beat her to it.

Holding it out to her, I said, "You're not asking anything. I am." When she took it, I scratched the back of my head with small, apologetic smile. "Besides, I was planning on getting a feel of the academy, but I don't know where to start. I was hoping you could show me around a little bit."

Siesta brightened up, a small smile gracing her features. "Oh, of course."

* * *

After walking around with Siesta for a little bit, I found that she was quite the kind person. Though the more perverted side of me couldn't help but notice how…endowed she was. _Keep it in your pants, Lyall. You have no idea how this world…plane…place, _(whatever!)_ works… You can't go around seducing every female that catches your eye…_

Wait…when the hell did Auren actually start influencing my common sense? When the hell did I get common sense?! Gah, whatever! I'll just wait for an idiot to challenge me to a fight and I can finally get some catharsis…

Of course, after that little mental tirade, I managed to notice someone that happened to remind me of my past. Coming to a stop at a doorway, I heard and saw one of the students from earlier flirting with a girl.

"Katie, I would love to try one of you soufflés." He had fluffed, curly blonde hair and wore a fluffy white shirt with a black cloak. In his hand, he gestured with a red rose.

"Really, Sir Guiche, you'll actually try it?" The girl was younger, clearly, and had long brown hair. She was cute, for a kid, but she was falling for a clearly rehearsed act.

"I cannot lie in front of your eyes."

When he said that, I knew instantly what the girl was thinking: she was thinking how lucky she was to have found a guy that wants to try her cooking. She's ecstatic that such an attractive guy is willing to give her the time of day.

Unlucky for her, I also knew what this 'Sir Guiche' was thinking: Oh, awesome, my line worked! I can't believe this girl is slow enough to actually believe me. Maybe I should try that one more often…

Unfortunately for the both of them, my self-control broke when I heard that cheesy, waste-of-a-breath line. Striding purposefully pass the two of them, I let myself laugh out loud as I shook my head. "I have to say, 'Sir Guiche', that is the most generic, if well-rehearsed, line I've heard anyone say."

"Oh?" He said, staying silent for a moment, the continued, "You're that commoner that Louise the Zero summoned?" He smirked, "Tell me, how much did she pay you to play the part of her Familiar?"

I paused, then simply chose to ignore the boy. "A word of warning, Miss Katie. That boy you're hung up on, he may not as monogamous as you think." I gave her small wink as I continued to head back to Louise's room.

"Watch what you say, commoner! Else, I'll have to show you your place!" Guiche called to me, no doubt trying to save face.

Like before, I let myself laugh; however, unlike before, it was lower and rumbled from deep within my chest. Looking over my shoulder, I simply narrowed my eyes. "Better men have tried…"

Resuming my trek, I made it to the front door of my new landlord. Releasing a breath, I saw that the lights were out and that Louise was in the bed, breathing softly. Stepping inside, I shut the door and ghosted my way towards the small haystack that was deemed as my bed. Giving it a small glare, then looking to the girl on the bed that looked rather heavenly, I scratched my head, causing my ears to become visible. The small point of my ears snaked their way out from under my hair. Looking out the window, I found that I wasn't anywhere near tired.

"Sometimes…I wish I wasn't half-elf. One of Auren's sleep spells would be very handy right now…."

* * *

**-Louise-**

I had gotten in bed after noticing my Familiar had disappeared. It was miraculous, really, how he had vanished without a sound. I also noticed that he had left some of his equipment on my table. Daggers. Lots of daggers. I sincerely hoped I hadn't summoned a psychopath…

After I had fallen asleep, though, was when the strangest thing of the day happened…

_For some reason, I was outside. I felt the cool breeze of early fall brush my cheek as I examined my surroundings. _

_A ravine. I took a quick step back when I realized how close to the edge of a ravine I was. However, I when I looked forward, I noticed my Familiar standing on the other side, a rope held tight in his hands. His eyes were like they were before: focused, flinty, empty. He was focused on what was happening in the ravine, his body tensed and waiting. _

_Wondering what he was waiting for, I looked down to see what he was so focused on. There were three individuals, three men clad in full armor, though one seemed to shine with holy energy. Two were normal height, though the third was a stout man in spiked armor. I looked farther down the ravine to see three more individuals, but only one looked human; the other two were large, musclebound, one-eyed abominations. _

_When the two groups met, words were exchanged and they quickly broke out into a melee._

_Quickly looking back to my Familiar, I noticed him race forward and leapt off the edge of the ravine. Swing to the side, he raced down the cliff-face and pushed off the rock. Flipping mid-air, I saw him pull out a small sword and land on one of the one-eyed beasts. He managed to stab it twice before the thing threw him off._

_Lyall landed on his feet effortlessly and shot forward, rejoining the fray._

_I stood and watched in awe as I watched my Familiar wade through his allies, covering their blind spots and striking the enemy with impunity. Even when he was hit by a stray swing of the large club, he got right back up and jumped into danger…_

Maybe he wasn't lying when he said all of those things…

* * *

**-Lyall-**

"I'm telling you, it's one of the Familiar's duties to dress a noble when they wake up!" Louise growled at me, though she wouldn't meet my eyes when I looked down to her. "As long as there are servants nearby, a noble should never have to dress themselves."

"And I'm telling you: I'm not your servant, familiar or not. I'm not your father and you're not a baby, so I won't dress you in the morning, afternoon or evening. Please drop it, because I'm not budging." I yawned lightly, feeling rather fatigued. I didn't get that much sleep last. I guess it's from all the excitement. "You're lucky I chose to wake you at all."

"But it's a Familiar's duty!" She screeched.

I felt myself smirk, "Be careful, Master, people are staring."

Louise's face instantly turned to a rather dark shade of red when she noticed our spectators.

We were approaching the dining hall for breakfast. That morning, I had the honor or realizing how much Louise was _not_ a morning person. The simple fact that I was up by then was a miracle considering how little sleep I actually got. When she finally gained coherence after I awoke her, she demanded that I clothe her. Unbeknownst to her, I had pretty much ghosted out of her room, using my well-practice stealth to sneak out.

She had caught up to me as I waited outside of the dormitory. It was then that our argument had begun. As we entered the dining hall, I took in the extravagance of the building. A single thought came to mind as I looked it over: wasteful. So many possible resources used in here could be used to better help those in need. Then again, this is the nobility I'm talking about, and _nothing_ can be spared for their comfort…

Selfish bastards…

"Do you have to wear that unnecessary mask? It's drawing too much attention." Louise glared up to me, though when I met her eyes, she looked away.

I had opted to wear the same clothes as I had yesterday: my armor, cloak, bandolier and half mask. The half mash was currently pulled up and doing just as she told me: drawing strange looks from the other students in the school. I, a master of stealth and subversive tactics, was the focal point of literally everyone outside. Man, don't I feel stupid…more so than before…

"Ah… Sorry." I pulled the mask down, grimacing lightly. "Force of habit…"

Louise glared at me, but looked away when we stopped in front of a chair. Looking at it then at me, she crossed her arms and began tapping her feet.

In response, I felt myself grin in response. I looked from her to the chair, then back to her. "Yes?" She pointed to the chair, her face turning a shade darker. "Ah, this is what they call a chair, Master. Did you not have these before I arrived?" I could hear her grinding her teeth in frustration. Before she could do anything, I let a small a laugh escape me as I said, "Ah, you want to take a seat. Understood." I pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Familiar…" She ground out.

I turned towards her, giving her a small smirk. "Yes?"

"You're supposed to sit on the floor…" She looked rather comical at the moment, what with her face being beet red and her hair contrasting it.

"Hmm, I see your point…" I stood and gestured towards to the now open seat. "There, I warmed it up for you." Louise paused, then nodded to me, taking the offered seat. I pushed the chair in took a look at the plate on the floor next to her seat. Blinking once, then twice, I released a rueful sigh. _Oh, well, I've eaten in worse conditions…_

After I was given the food that seemed to be meant for Familiars, a measly loaf of stale bread, I picked it up and shrugged. _I've had much worse._ Lifting it to my mouth, I tore a piece of it off. Looking around, I noticed that the students were praying to their god, 'Brimee-something-or-other', before eating. Seeing as I no place in the dining hall, I quickly made my way outside, leaving everyone none the wiser.

Walking around outside, I chewed on the stale bread, which seemed to have the consistency of jerky. I turned and entered the overall courtyard, seeing all of the other familiars milling about. Finishing up my bread, I strolled over to the tree at the side and took a seat for a little shut eye. As I basked the shade, I couldn't help but hear the sound of slow footsteps approaching me. Cracking an eye open, I realized that it was the blue dragon I saw earlier.

"_You'll have to try harder to sneak up on me_." I said in Draconic with a smirk.

The dragon froze mid-step, its eyes widening lightly at the language I spoke. After a moment, I noticed that it seemed to have lost a balance and quickly planted its foot back on the ground. "_You surprised me, kyuu! I didn't know humans could speak Dragon, Kyuu-kyuu! Not even Big Sister can!_" She, I'm assuming from the feminine sounding voice, froze and dropped off her front claws, comically covering her face like a dog. "_Oh noes! Irukuru is going to be in trouble!_"

I arched an eyebrow, feeling a little entertained at the dragon's, Irukuru I'm guessing, actions. _'Oh noes'? 'Kyuu'? What kind of a dragon am I dealing with here? She acts more like a child than anything else…_ Cocking my head to the side, I continued speaking in her tongue, though it was a whisper, "_Why would you get in trouble?_"

She lifted her claws from her face and said, "_Irukuru isn't supposed to speak with other people, because Big Sister said she could get in trouble, Kyuu-kyuu._" Irukuru covered her face again.

"_Well, I'm sorry making you break your promise, Irukuru. But your Big Sister couldn't have known that someone would know your language._" I paused, and nodded, "_How about we keep it between us? I won't tell anyone you spoke to me, so you won't have to lie to your Big Sister. It'll be a secret._" I couldn't help it, I couldn't resist the urge to do it. I was dealing with a child, and I've been told I'm still a child at heart, so I had to add some playful ominous overtones to my last statement.

It seemed to work like a charm because Irukuru gave me a wide-eyed look…or what I assumed to be a wide-eyed look, (I'm not exactly a professional in dragon physiology) and whispered just as ominously. "_A secret, kyuu?_"

I couldn't help but play it up even more. "_A super-secret…_"

A part of me both regretted that action and didn't, considering the dragon's next action. She managed to scoop me into a bear(dragon?)hug and squeeze me in a slightly tight embrace. I could've escaped, I really could, without any trouble, but I had a feeling it would break her heart.

"_Kyuu! It's a secret, kyuu!_" She put me down and moved her head so that we were eye-level. "_To held Irukuru hide, Big sister gave her the name Sylphid. Nobody can know Irukuru's real name, kyuu!_"

I grinned, "_It's a plan, then Sylphid. Call me Lyall. I look forward to being your friend._"

At that, Sylphid scooped me into another backbreaking, bear(dragon? Seriously, what the hell do I call it?!)hug. "_Yay! Irukuru made another friend, kyuu!_"

Yep, I now could not, in good conscience, escape her clutches. Sometimes…it's tiring being the nice guy…

* * *

"No classes today, huh?" I asked Louise as the two of us walked amongst the courtyard and her classmates.

When she had left the dining, seemingly miffed by my disappearance, Louise had decided to walk amongst the other Familiars and search for me. However, she had clue that I wasn't even trying to hide in plain site. She had walked passed me three times before I decided to make my presence known. Needless to say, my Master was notably angry with me.

"No, we've been given today free so we can bond with and get to know our Familiars." She replied in an even tone.

I felt myself grin, "Aw, you want to bond with me, Louise? I know I'm lovable and all, but it hasn't even been a day."

Louise gritted her teeth. She opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by a pair of people approaching the both of us.

They were a pair of opposites. Where one taller, the other was shorter. The taller girl had a darker complexion, with long, blazing red hair, while her shorter companion had lighter skin with short, blue hair. The red haired one stood with her…endowments…thrust out. The blue haired one simply stood there with her head in a book.

"Well, well, well, Zero. I see you're chatting I up with your commoner. Has he asked for more money yet?"

Louise opened her mouth to respond, but I cut her off. "You know, that's the second time I've been asked that question. Do you really pay commoners to do stuff for you? Cause if you do, I'd like to know when I'm going to get paid. I left all of my money in my tent… In another world… Amongst my greedy comrades…" I palmed my face. _There's no way I'm getting them back…_

The red head gasped, "So it is true!"

"No, it is not." I sounded regretful. "I was summoned here…against my will…in the middle of war…" I paused, thinking for a moment. "Maybe not completely against my will…"

"Kirche… Familiar… Please shut up, the both of you." I heard Louise ground out through clenched teeth. She sucked in a breath, no doubt trying to calm herself down. After a few seconds of silence, she continued, "I did not drag him off the street Kirche. I summoned a Familiar just like the rest of you."

"Though not a very strong-looking one." The newly named Kirche gave me a critical eye.

"Hey! I take offense to that!" I griped at her. "I'll have you know the last person who said that to me was hospitalized for weeks!"

Kirche rolled her eyes, or rather eye, since the other was covered by her bangs, flipping her hair to the side. "Probably from laughter."

Okay, I have to agree, I set myself up for that, but I refuse to let this injustice continue.

Releasing a tired breath, I growled, "One man can only take so many insults, before he's had enough. I'm done." I said with finality as I turned away from the group.

"Familiar, while you're away, get me a cup of tea." Louise didn't so much as ask, but flat out order me.

I paused, blinked once, then looked over to her. "First, I have a name; use it. Second…no." I said and began walking away from them. I released a tired breath as I meandered aimlessly amongst the group of students and familiars, trying to put a name to the various species I saw waddling about. It was rather strange to see all these strange creatures and not have them try to kill me or me them. It was both a relaxing experience as well as a confusing one, since my first reaction is normally to grab my sword and flank the bastard for maximum damage.

Of course, during my mental ramblings, I felt someone bump into my chest and managed to catch sight of something falling from the corner of my eye. Reaching down, I managed to catch the plate, but the pie slid off of it and crashed down onto the ground. Releasing a sigh, I looked at the person who had run into me. Smiling lightly, I said, "Well, hello there, nice to see you again, Siesta."

The maid blushed at our contact and took a step back. "Oh, hello Mis-, Lyall. How was your sleep last night?"

I grimaced, "Horrible, I couldn't get any sleep."

"Oh, are you okay? You're not sick, are you?" She asked me, worry present in her voice.

Smiling thankfully for her worry, I shook my head. "No, I'm not sick. I was just a bit a restless, understandably. Though my worries were alleviated after our short tour of the academy, so you have my thanks, Siesta." I bowed my head to her, garnering another full-face flush.

"O-oh, it's nothing Lyall." She then crouched down and picked up the pie that crash landed. Placing the pie on the plate I was still holding, she tried to take it.

"Do you mind if I help you out? I'd love to have the chance to pay back your kindness."

Siesta shook her head, though I could tell it wasn't whole-heartedly. "Oh, no, you don't have to do that."

"Nonsense. I make it a point to help. You're stuck with me." I motioned for her to lead the way, and from the thankful smile I saw her give, I knew my services were welcome. Though I really was willing to help, when I saw that we were walking towards Guiche and another one of his lady friend, I instantly felt like it was the right thing to do.

When I placed the plate on the table, he said, "It's about time. What to-" He looked up to see me smirking down at him. "I see; it's you. Is Zero so tired of you already that she'd let you go off on your own?"

"Nope. I'm tired of her domineering attitude, so I decided to leave her to cool off." Looking at him, I looked at his companion. It was a different girl from last night. This one was a blonde who had a frog sitting on the table in front of her. Looking to Guiche, I simply snorted, "What? Are you already tired of the girl from last night? Was her soufflé not good enough for you?"

The girl who sat across from him glared darkly, "Is this true, Guiche?"

He scoffed, though I could tell he was sweating crossbow bolts. "Of course, my dear Montmorency. You are the only girl for me."

Montmorency blushed heavily, flattery doing everything to lessen her anger towards the fop.

I rolled my eyes and looked to Siesta. Pointing to Guiche, I mouthed, _Is he for real?_

Siesta giggle lightly at my antics and I turned back to the inevitable mayhem I was going to cause.

"Really, Guiche?"

He grinned, the act coming as naturally to him as the acidity of gelatinous blob. "Of course, My dear Montmorency. I canno-"

"Wait! Wait! I think I know this one!" I shocked the both of them with my interruption. "It's on the tip of my tongue; I think I can remember it…Ah! Is what you were going to say: 'I cannot lie in front of your eyes'?" When that garnered a dropped jaw from Guiche, I noticed Montmorency gave him another dark, violence-promising glare. I nodded sagely, "You have skill, young one, but you lack novelty. Everything you have in that empty head of yours, I have heard, used, and threw away in the past."

"Sir Guiche? Where are you?" I perked up at the sound of that voice.

"Oh, what do we have here?" I lifted a hand and waved at her, " 'Ello, Miss Katie, the 'Guiche' is sitting over here." Waving her over, I said, "Here he is, Miss. Though, he seems to have company…"

"Guiche…who is this girl?" Montmorency growled at Guiche.

"Sir Guiche, what is going on?" Katie looked to him with sad eyes.

I pulled Siesta to the side and out of the way and began my whispered commentating. "What you see is what I like to call the 'womanizer' in his natural habitat." I spoke with an accent whose name escaped me. "Watch as he tries frantically to calm the two distraught nobles. Observe the frantic look on his face as his former marks have turned on him." Siesta covered her mouth as she began to try and stifle the giggles that began to surface. "Oh-oh-oh, it's happening! The blonde noble has finally decided to retaliate, a deserving action long in the making. Watch as she rears back her hand and _throw it forward_!" At that, Montmorency let out an enraged screech as she slapped him across the face, leaving a rather comically, red handprint. "Now watch as the scorned noble stomps, vowing never to speak to the womanizer ever again. However, if you've seen enough these interactions, then you know that she'll probably be talking with him by tomorrow."

"Oh, Sir Guiche, how could you!" Katie then turned and took off running away from the group.

"Look as the womanizer stands there in shock and awe at what just occurred." I released a sudden, shocked breath. "What is this?! He's targeting someone to vent his anger on; could it be he's going to blame someone else for his own actions?!"

"You! Commoner!"

I stood and pointed at myself, then began to speak slowly. "Yes, me. Commoner." Then I pointed at him, "You. Noble." I clapped lightly and leaned towards Siesta, whispering, "It's a miracle! The infamous womanizer actually said something not pertaining to his marks. I would say that this needs to be documented for future study." Siesta finally laughed out loud, though she quickly covered her mouth and flushed in embarrassment.

Guiche gritted his teeth as he glared heatedly at me. "I see that _I_ will be the one that will have to teach you your place, commoner. I will teach you to not make a woman cry."

I arched an eyebrow at that. "Really? I made them cry? Do I have a slap mark, dear sir? No, I do not. If my memory serves me correctly, then the person who made Miss Katie and Miss Montmorency was you. I simply pointed out that you are a two-timing, cheating waste of space." My words were immediately followed by a deafening silence. Even Siesta, who was busy trying to hold back laughter, fell silent at my declaration.

"What did you say, you lowborn garbage?" Guiche glared darkly.

I felt my grin turn feral, causing some of the other nobles watching flinch away from me. "What did I say? I said that you are a two-timing, cheating, self-entitled waste…of…space."

Guiche clenched his fist, but he remained silent. "It…seems I may have to force you to acknowledge your place in life, commoner. We'll have a duel."

I nearly jumped for joy. Finally! Catharsis awaits! "When and where?"

"The Vestri courts in five minutes. Come prepared to taste defeat, for I will not hold back." He turned and began to walk away.

I simply smirked, "I wish I could say the same, but…" I turned and saw that Siesta was looking at me in horror, then to Guiche back to me. "What?"

"You can't fight a noble! He'll kill you!"

I released a breath and was about to explain myself, but I was interrupted by my oh-so 'adorable' Master.

"Familiar! What are you doing!?"

I turned to see Louise glaring at me, "Ah, hello again Master. I'm just enjoying my time here. Your classmates are entertaining!"

"What did you do to Guiche?" She asked me, incredulous.

"Did you see the part where the girls were confronting him?" When she nodded, I smiled and pointed at myself. "That was me." I sounded just a little sheepish.

Louise gritted her teeth, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You know, you remind me of a friend of mine. Auren used to do the exact same thing when I did something stupid."

Louise glared at me, "Like now?!"

I shook my head, "No…not really. I've done dumber…" I shrugged flippantly, "Anyway…" I pointed to a rather portly fellow with an owl perched on his shoulder. "You!" The student gestured to himself. "Yes, you with the owl. Where are the Vestri courts?"

"Oh, that way." He said pleasantly.

"Thank you. In payment, you get a front row seat to the ass-kicking that awaits!"

"Oh, thanks!" He said with good-natured smile.

"Malicorne!" Louise growled at the student who told me the location.

"Don't worry." I tried to placate her. "You'll get a front row seat as well. As will Siesta." As I began to walk forward, Louise over took me, taking hold of my hand. "Ah, eager to see your Familiar in all his glory I see."

"No, I'm eager to get you out of this troublesome situation. You're going to apologize to Guiche; hopefully, if you grovel, he'll forgive you." She continued to pull me.

That is, until I stopped dead in my tracks. She jerked lightly as she no longer had control over me. "Louise… I think you _need_ to see me fight someone. At least, that way, you'll give me the respects that's due."

* * *

I stood across from Guiche in the middle of students who decided to watch someone become a punching bag. I think they have the positions opposite what they really are, though.

Louise stood between the two of us, in front of Guiche. "Please, don't do this! Whatever my stupid Familiar said, he takes back!"

"Actually, no I don't! I meant every word!" I called out, making sure Guiche would hear. Of course, my statement seemed to be funny to the group around us, as they seemed to laugh in chorus with each other.

"Shut up, Familiar!" Louise yelled over her shoulder. "Please Guiche, don't hurt my Familiar!"

Guiche sneered at her. "What? Have you fallen for your Familiar wiles? Do you not wish to see your new lover be hurt?"

Louise flushed in anger, "No! He's not my lover! There's no way I would ever be with a commoner, especially not one as uncouth as he is!" For some reason, I felt…wounded at that declaration… "Whatever, just don't kill him." Louise turned away from him and stomped away.

"Hey, Louise." I called out to her.

"What?!"

"Does that count for me too…" I asked her, a dark smirking appearing on my face.

"What are you talking about?" She turned and glared at me, but it faltered.

"Do you want me to not kill him?"

Guiche snorted, "As if a lowborn such as you could?"

I sucked in a breath and undid the clasp on my sheath, stabbing the sword, sheath and all, into the ground. "I won't even need a sword to defeat you…" I growled as I allowed my mind to go blank.

* * *

**-Louise-**

Stupid Familiar. Not only did he get himself into a duel with a noble, but he made him angry enough to ignore an apology. What could he, a commoner, do against Guiche, a noble? This fight was one that had a foregone conclusion…

Yet…why do I believe it's the one no one else would think of? When I saw that look on his face when Guiche proposed the duel, I was reminded of my dream. It showed him effortlessly fighting amongst people several times larger than he was. It reminded me of the look he had in his eyes yesterday, that empty gaze.

_I am a hunter, a warrior and I killer._

Those words continued to ring in my head as I watched him remove the sword from his back and stabbed it into the ground.

"I won't even need a sword to defeat you…"

Those words scared me. I can't explain how or why, but the tone of his voice shook me to my very core. There was something about my Familiar that demanded I fear him, that I shouldn't push him. Earlier today, that feeling was there, but I was able to ignore, to simply watch as smiled patiently at me, taking everything I said to him stride. The feeling was the strongest when he was first summoned, an oppressive feeling of fear as he looked into my eyes; when his empty, emotionless eyes stared into mine.

"Oh, that is quite arrogant of you. Then humor me, Familiar, what will you use to 'defeat' me?" Guiche mocked him, lifting his rose wand.

My Familiar simply smiled; there was no emotion behind that action. He removed his cloak and placed it on the sheathed weapon embedded on the ground, revealing the strap around his body, from shoulder to hip, filled with daggers. "One of these will do." He then reached behind his back and undid the strap, allowing it to fall back. Placing it over top the cloak, he drew a single dagger and stood there. Clad in nothing but his chain shirt, which gleamed in the sunlight, he simply stood there, twirling the dagger in his hand. "You first…" He whispered, the tone sending shivers of anticipation and dread down my spine.

Guiche glowered at him. "I'll crush you for such disrespect. However, since you _are_ below me, I'll allow my Valkyries fight you in my stead." He waved his rose, causing a single rose petal to fall to the ground. In an instant, a bronze Valkyrie stood in front of Guiche, wielding a sword and a shield. "What say you commoner?"

My Familiar simply frowned, "This fight isn't fair…"

Guiche simply smirked, "You finally realize that, Familiar? How do you figure?"

His mouth quirked into a condescending smirk, one that wouldn't look out of place on one of my classmates as he replied. "I mean, it's unfair for you. How 'bout you summon five more of those pieces of trash, and _then_, it might be even things out."

I felt my eyes widen even more. After pushing Guiche so far, he still decides to goad him even more? What arroga-

"You truly are arrogant, Familiar. Fine. I'll entertain your request, but do not cry when they beat you into the ground." He waved his rose again, causing not five, but seven more petals to fall to the ground. In response, seven more Valkyries rose from the earth, each armed a different weapon.

I watched as my Familiar simply stood there, his arms lazily hanging at his sides. He then whispered something I could barely catch, "Okay, but don't cry when I break them." That's when he disappeared.

My eyes widened even more when I actually saw my Familiar vanish from right in front of my eyes. Looking to Guiche, I saw that one of his Valkyries was instantly destroyed as if it exploded.

There he was, standing behind the stop where the Valkyrie once stood; the dagger effortlessly breaking through the bronze. He then spun around, twisting his body in such a way that allowed his crash the back of his armored greave into a second Valkyrie's side. The construct was violently thrown to the side and impacted into a tree, exploding into bronze chunks. Her Familiar continued the spin until both his feet were planted back onto the ground.

Everyone was dead silent. In an instant, the commoner that had insulted Guiche and accepted that everyone thought would end up dead had effortlessly dispatched not just one, but two Valkyries.

Even Guiche was struck still, unable to move due to the shock. He was, however, pulled from his stupor, when the Familiar simply let out a small laugh. "That can't be all you have…"

Guiche snarled and pointed forward, "Get him!"

The Valkyrie's descended on my Familiar from all sides. Before could be considered a fluke; he surprised Guiche, so that explained how he destroyed them, but now…now there was no way for him to win…

Or at least that's I thought at first…

My Familiar simply moved in tandem with the attacks. Evading each and every attack as it came, he weaved effortlessly out of harms way, nothing coming close enough to even graze his armor. The strangest things wasn't the fact that he was able to dodge everyone of the attacks, or even make it look easy; it was the fact that he actually looked at home. Her Familiar actually looked more comfortable in the middle of a life or death battle than he did standing in her room!

It was ridiculous to even consider such a possibility! Surely no one in their right mind would feel more comfortable in a life or death battle than they would amongst other, civilized people.

Yet, my Familiar gave no indication that he was in his right mind.

Or civilized…

Yet… He did…

I froze in anticipation when I noticed my Familiar lightly touch and push one of the Valkyrie's spears. The path of the spear was adjusted ever so slightly, yet it made all the difference when it impaled one of the other Valkyries. He turned again, then lightly pushed the flat of the blade swung by another Valkyrie, causing it to carve into the spear-wielding Valkyrie. He ducked, throwing a leg out to cause a halberd-wielding Valkyrie to fall and impale the sword-wielding Valkyrie.

Miraculously, against all concepts of logic, my Familiar slipped through the mass of Valkyrie and stand back in his original spot, casually brushing his shoulder. As if on cue, the three Valkyrie's he had indirectly damaged simply fell apart.

If looks could kill, then Guiche would won this duel the moment my Familiar destroyed the first two of the Valkyries. "You-you-you-"

"Commoner? Is that what you were going to call me?" My Familiar snorted, casually flipping the lone dagger in his hand. "Go ahead, keep calling me that. You're not the first, and I know you won't be the last. I've been a commoner my entire life and that fact hasn't changed. However, unlike _you_,everything I have, inside and out, I earned through hard work and perseverance." He threw the dagger forward and it slammed into a Valkyrie's chest, nearly tearing all the way through it. In an instant, it flew out of the golem and back into his hand. The golem crumbled into dust. "You did nothing to earn what makes you who you are. Yet, you believe yourself to be better than the people who weren't lucky enough to be born with your '_blessing_'." He threw the dagger again, which destroyed the final golem, returning to its master and wielder, her Familiar. In response, Guiche fell back onto the ground, staring at the man before him in fear. "Call me a commoner. Call me lowborn. Call me whatever you want, but you should remember this: not every 'commoner' you come across is as weak as you believe. You just may meet someone who can put _you_ into _your_ place." He pulled back his arm, preparing for the final throw to finish it.

Until I called out to him.

"Fam-. Lyall! Stop this now!"

* * *

**-Lyall-**

I had never felt as exhilarated as I have now. When I grasped that dagger, it felt as though someone hit me with a spell that was a combination of Bless, True Strike, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace and Haste all rolled up into one epically broken spell. My body moved as quickly as thought and sometimes even faster.

It was liberating, being able to move as well as did. Whatever was happening to me, I hoped it was permanent, lacked negative side effects and never had to be recast.

Needless to say, I utterly destroyed Guiche's Valkyries. Seriously, Evanger gave me a better fight when I managed to convince him to fight me with one arm tied behind his back. That he actually agreed when asked him was Divine Intervention of the highest accord.

Though, I kinda wish I didn't fall into the monologue. I mean, I wanted to scare the kid, but I guess I did lose my temper when he continued to insult me. I'm supposed to be the adult, too… Though…when do I actually act my age? Then again, when I fight, I do tend to rid myself of all emotion, kind of like a coping mechanism of sorts…

When I pulled back for the final throw, I heard Louise's voice. Looking over my shoulder at her, I said, "Are you sure?"

She looked frightened, scared enough for her to shake lightly…though she hid it well. My Master really does have expressive eyes… "Stop fighting now, Lyall… I think you proved your point well enough."

I was still for a moment, then nodded. I was used to following orders anyhow. Letting my arms to fall to their sides, I allowed myself to fully relax. Closing my eyes, I released a breath and allowed my mind to reopen to the outside world. Opening my eyes, I turned to Louise with a wide grin. "So, what'd you think?!"

She froze at my sudden change in attitude, but quickly released a tired breath. Shaking her head at me, she said, "Just shut up and come with me. I'm too exhausted to even react appropriately right now."

I simply stood there, my smile in place. I looked around to everyone in the crowd. The blue-haired girl, who I recognized as Sylphid's Master, was no longer engrossed in her book, but giving me what I assumed to be a tired look. The girl next to her was, once again, an exercise in the opposite. She was flushed heavily and giving me the 'come hither' look; if a woman from my world gave me that look, I'd jump on the chance, literally, but from her, it was unnerving, almost frighteningly so. I then looked to Siesta, who was giving me a shocked look with which was accompanied by nearly saucer-sized wide eyes.

Everyone else, well…let's just say that the looks ran the gamut from shock, to fear, to some just passing out. I was sure that if I yelled out 'boo', they would probably soil themselves from the shock.

As a psychotic dwarf I once knew would say, 'Hello, Highlord Heavypants.'

I cleared my throat, causing them all to jump in shock. "Before I leave, I have one decree to give. As I have shown all of you that I am not some commoner you can walk all over, I can confidently do this." I cleared my throat again, adjusting the collar of my chain shirt. "I, Lyall Greycloak, newly appointed alpha male, any challengers are welcome, I hereby give my first decree, more may come if I feel like it." Lifting my dagger above my head, I said loud enough for all to hear. "There shall be no womanizing of any sort!" I turned and the dagger as hard as I could with my newly enhanced strength towards the prone Guiche.

He yelped as the dagger tore into the ground only a few scant inches below his crotch.

"Especially from you, sir." I grinned evilly towards him.

He gasped in fear and jumped in shock when the dagger ripped from the ground and landed back into my open hand(gotta love the Returning enchantment)!

"W-w-what are you!?" He asked me, already hyperventilating from fear.

I simply grinned and casually the dagger into the air, letting it back onto my open hand. "I'm a mage hunter."

* * *

**A/N #2:**_ Because I'm sure you'll ask, I'll tell you here. Lyall is 18__th__ level: 10 levels of Rogue, 3 levels of Ranger, and 5 levels of Occult Slayer. Also, seeing as most high level D&D characters are unnaturally prepared when it comes to noncombat/combat equipment, I purposefully had it so he wouldn't have his bag of holding, his numerous Alchemist fires, thundersticks, an overabundance of rope, everything else he's stashed away in that freakin' bag and his bow. _

_Also, I'd like to give my gaming partner, King Under the Mountain, a shout out. Auren and Evanger are his characters and he's graciously given me permission to them in my fic, and I've given the same to him for Lyall._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Familiar of Zero, only the D&D character that causes mayhem and discord.

**A/N:** __ I'm so sorry for the long wait! School's been a major pain in my ass. It's been so hectic with papers and assignments that I haven't had time to write. I've been giving serious thought to this story and changes it'll make to canon. So, I'm not dropping it. My posting won't be that quick or regular, but I will be updating._

_As for pairing, I haven't made any final decisions, but I'm leaning heavily towards harem. Not entirely sure, but it's definitely what's getting the most consideration._

_To everyone's thoughts on Lyall, thanks so much! This guy's my first Player Character and he takes after me quite a bit, but with the eccentricity/minor insanity dialed way up. I never thought I'd get this much of a positive reaction to him, so I'm glad. He'll be shaking everything else up, so look forward to it._

_Anyway, onto the story! Read/review/enjoy..._

* * *

**The Alpha of Zero**

Chapter Two

After Effects

**-Lyall-**

Ever dropped a verbal bomb on a large group of people? Ever sat back and watched their world crumble as you destroyed their perception on reality? Most of all, have you felt what it was like to see people truly fear you?

Well, truthfully, I find being feared to be a bit much. I'd rather be respected, but fear is much simpler if you know the right buttons to push.

And it seems that saying you're a Mage Hunter amongst a bunch of school children was the equivalent of pushing the big red button.

Each and every person in attendance to my duel with the fop froze in shock, giving me gazes of shock and fright. I turned slowly, giving each student a slow, non-confrontational measuring look. Each of them would flinch as I met their eyes, taking a hesitant step back as if they were about to hoof it to safety. When I reached Sylphid's master, I simply noted that she was no longer reading her book, but simply giving me a measured look. There was no fear in her eyes, no trepidation, just a contemplative gaze you give to a potential enemy. They were eyes of someone who had seen death, the eyes of a warrior, someone who isn't afraid to fight.

When she realized I caught her, her eyes shot from my face to the dagger in my hand. Allowing my hand to fall open, I allowed the weapon to slide from my grip and bounce onto the ground. Once again, her eyes went to mine. It was few seconds of silence until she finally nodded imperceptibly, turning back to her book.

I then looked to Kirche and immediately regretted doing so. The 'come hither' gaze she was giving me had amplified to the point where she had allowed her hand to travel to her breasts, clearly emphasizing them.

Releasing a slight groan, I hooked my foot under my fallen dagger and quickly kicked it up to my open hand. Grabbing it, I strode over to my equipment. Pulling on my cloak, I grabbed my bandolier and sheathed sword, then turned to Louise.

Frankly, I found her expression to be the most entertaining. Her normally light complexion was flushed a healthy red, eyes wide as saucers and mouth hanging open. Snorting in amusement, I strode over to her and placed a finger on the bottom of her chin, gently pushing her mouth closed. "It's not very ladylike to gape, Master." I failed to keep my playful tone from being too obvious.

Louise jumped in shock and pushed my hand away. "Wha-"

I placed my hand over her mouth, silencing her. "We'll talk when we get away from the crowd. I'm sure you'll want what I tell you to remain between us, eh?" I smirked and watched as her face darkened when she looked around.

She grabbed my hand and pushed it away. "Fine, but we're talking as soon as we get back to my dormitory!" She turned and began to stalk off, then looked over her shoulder. "Come, Fam-…Lyall."

I simply shook my head, trying to hold back a laugh. As I began to follow, I noticed Siesta hurrying up to me.

"Lyall! How-? When-? Who-?" She was frantic, surprised, but actually looked slightly proud. Well, a commoner of all people did just show up a noble.

"We can talk later, Siesta. I'm sure that Louise has just as many as you do, if not more." I lifted a hand and smiled at her, then resumed following Louise. As I did that though, I couldn't help but notice the blush on the maid's features.

* * *

Moments later, I was sitting at the table in Louise's dorm, in the seat across from her. Removing my armor, I placed it on a third chair and draped my cloak over the back of my chair. Sitting down, I leaned back and said, "Ask away, I'm sure you're curious…"

The little girl across from me opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated, biting her lower lip. She remained silent for a few seconds, as if considering her next words carefully. I noticed her squeezing the side of the table tightly, her knuckles turning white. She was afraid of me…that's why she's hesitating.

"I won't hurt you no matter what you ask me. I already said that I'd protect you, since you called me here. The fact I'm a mage hunter doesn't change that at all." I told her, trying to be reassuring.

"Why not?" Louise replied in a soft voice. I arched an eyebrow at her. Jumping lightly, she waved her hands at me, "I'm not asking you to do it, I'm just curious as to why you, a mage hunter, are willingly helping me…"

I released a small breath. "I didn't become a mage hunter because I'm bigoted or because I hate mages. I became a mage hunter because I was tired of having mages lord their power over my head. I wanted to be able to show them that I'm not a person they can just walk all over." I felt myself grin, "Besides, it's healthy to know a little a fear."

"Who says I'm afraid?!" Louise yelled, crossing her arms and looking away petulantly.

I snorted, "The fact that you were shaking in fear when I was fighting Guiche kinda gave you away."

Louise froze, slowly facing me. "You…you saw that?"

"You don't get to be where I am if you can't stay aware of your surroundings when in combat." I paused, seeing slight disbelief in her eyes. Sighing, I lifted a hand. "During the duel, I can tell you exactly how many people were watching; I can tell you how many vantage points there were from the towers. I can tell you many teachers were watching from the windows." As I spoke, I pulled down a finger for every statement. Placing my hand on the table, I continued, "I'm a soldier, Louise. I make it a prerogative to always be prepared."

She was silent, clearly trying to let all of this sink in. "What type of soldier are you?"

"I mostly do stealth missions; sneaking behind enemy lines, sabotage supply lines, remove any threats I deem important; things like that. Though, I'm perfectly capable of fighting head-on. I'm nowhere near the best in that category, though; I prefer backing up an ally by flanking an opponent." I paused, trying to recall anything else about my duties. "Also…" I gave the little mage across from me an apologetic grimace. "I gather information on enemy mages and actively try to eliminate them…"

Louise flinched at the declaration. It seems she had finally recognized what I am. It's about time, and it's only been a little more than a whole twenty four hours.

"Do you need time to let this sink in?" I asked her, trying to be as accommodating as I could for the child in front of me.

She gave me a surprised look, but nodded slightly.

I stood and was about to head to the door before she called to me.

"Lyall, would you do something for me?"

* * *

I finally found what I was looking for after leaving Louise's room: a frickin' fountain! Of all the things I needed to find, Louise had to tell me to go to the one thing I didn't locate last night, a fountain had eluded me. I released a frustrated breath and placed the wooden bucket on the ground and took a seat in front of it. Pushing up my sleeves, I reached to the side and picked up a random piece of clothing.

Of all the things that little girl had to ask me to do, of all the things she requested me to do, she had to tell me to wash her clothes. Normally, I wouldn't be averse to it, oh no, I have no problem washing clothes. Hell, I have to say I'm pretty damn good at it, considering I have to wash my own clothes so that the smell of sweat isn't present. I also have to make sure the smell isn't too noticeable or good either; people would be surprised how easy it is catch someone if they happen to smell like roses.

No, I have no problem washing regular clothes, but women's lingerie is an entirely different matter.

Washing men's clothes is simple; if you're lazy, just make sure there aren't any noticeable stains. If you want to be thorough, then clean the damn thing like your life depended on it, because blood stains are difficult as hell to get out if you let them set in. But women's clothing is an entirely different matter; there are several different nuances that you have to intuitively understand.

I understand _none_ of them.

_None_!

So when I held the pink pair of undergarments in front of me, I was at a complete loss for exactly what to do. I had no idea how rough or soft I could be with them; I had no clue about how long I had to let them soak. I was even at a loss at how these…clumps of cloth would be even be remotely comfortable.

Shaking my head, I muttered, "This is clothing for woman, Lyall. Don't bother to even _try_ and understand it…" I hooked my thumbs onto each side and stretched the undergarments, trying to get an overall idea about its strength.

"Lyall?"

I jumped lightly, pulling a bit too much as I heard a snap. Seeing one side give way rather easily, I slowly looked over my shoulder and smiled good-naturedly at Siesta, who had somehow snuck up on me. "Hey, Siesta, can I help you?" I slowly moved the undergarment from my hand and pushed it to the bottom of the bucket, hiding it under the rest of the clothes.

"Um, I was just wondering why you were staring at those panties so seriously…" She gave me a slightly wary look.

I quickly waved my hands, "Ah, no, it's not what you think. It's the first time I've seen something like…panties. They don't have anything like that where I'm from." I paused, then shrugged. "That or the wealthy keeps all the nice fabric to themselves. Wouldn't put it passed them…"

"Oh…" Siesta looked almost relieved, though I couldn't help but see a hint of disappointment in her eyes. "I see. It seems that the nobility in your world are a little similar…" She cocked her head to the side, seeing the bucket of clothes next to me. "Are you washing clothes, Lyall?" I could see the beginnings of a smile playing at her lips.

"Yeah." I shrugged, then smirked, "Why?"

Her eyes widened, then she shook her head quickly. "I don't mean anything bad by it…it's just a little strange…" She paused, holding her hands in front of her. "To see you go from defeating a noble to…washing clothes…" She let out a small giggle.

I scoffed, "It's alright. I do this a lot actually. Blood on armor, while intimidating, can also get annoying, so I like to take time to clean my things as soon as possible."

"That's surprisingly domestic of you, Lyall…" She gave me a slightly faraway look, her face flushing lightly.

"I can't cook, if it's any consolation. Cleaning clothes and armor is basically the only domestic thing I can do, but even that is…" I grabbed one of Louise's other panties and lifted it. "…Rather limited… I have no clue how to wash these, though."

Siesta giggled and said, "If you don't mind, I could help you. I like to think I'm pretty good at cooking _and_ cleaning."

I arched an eyebrow at her, feeling a small smile come into place. "Why do I get the feeling you're bragging?" Laughing lightly, I continued, "I hate to intrude. I did take up a lot of you time earlier…"

She quickly shook her head. "It's nothing. I don't mind…actually, I enjoyed your company…"

Feeling myself smile, I beckoned her to my side. "C'mon, then." She walked over to me and crouched next to me. I picked up the bucket and placed it between us. After she grabbed one of the undergarments, I picked up one of the shirts. "I'm sure you have a question or two…" I started us off…

"Yes, I do…but I'll wait until you're ready. If you're that skilled, especially when it comes to fighting mages, then something might have happened." She sounded hesitant.

"Actually, not really…well, nothing too traumatic." She gave me a slightly confused look. "What I mean is: I wanted to be able to proactively stand against people with more power than me. I've always severely disliked it when people hold power over my head. I wanted to show them that you don't have to control arcane and divine power in order to make a difference. So, I searched for someone who could teach me…"

Siesta was silent for a moment, then she gave me a wide eyed look. "Divine? You mean you've stood against God's before?!"

I quickly shook my head, "No! When I say divine power, I don't mean Deities. In my world, there are two types of spell casters: arcane and divine. Arcane spellcasters are split into wizards, sorcerers and warmages. Divine spellcasters are people who are more spiritually entwined with their deity, like clerics and druids, though rangers can do the same, but on a rather limited scale."

Siesta simply gave me a shocked look, "Wow, Lyall, you really know quite a bit about magic…"

I shook my head, laughing lightly. "That's only the basics, anyone who's able to walk in my world knows that much. What's not known as common knowledge is how each are specified." Clearing my throat, I went about trying to explain a little rudimentary rundown of mage classifications. "First of all, I think I should start out with wizards. First of all, in my world, _anyone_ can be a wizard as long as they're intelligent, and patient, enough to do the research needed."

That got the reaction I expected from Siesta. She froze and slowly looked towards me, her eyes wide. "_Anyone_?"

I smirked, "Yeah, it just takes patience, the willingness to sit down and research and some funds on the side in order to get the real magic foci."

"If…anyone can be a wizard…then why didn't you?" It seems that the thought of anyone being able to be a mage struck Siesta as alluring, since it seemed like such a faraway, impossible task to her.

"Me? No." I chuckled lightly. "I'm not that smart, first of all. Everything I know is from hard-earned experienced, witnessed in combat, or told to me by my adventuring ally Auren. Second of all, I don't see the allure of standing around and letting your enmy carve into you while you're trying to prep a spell. I prefer to be in the middle of skirmish, feeling the rush of adrenaline as I lock eyes with an opponent, engaging him in a battle of might and wills."

"I see…" She sounded almost relieved at my statement. Relieved that I wasn't a mage. I can understand that. "What about sorcerers?"

"Sorcerers are people who are born with their arcane potential." I said, unable to hide the scorn in my voice. "I don't particularly like sorcerers. Nearly everyone I met claimed to be the next-best thing when it comes to anything and everything."

Siesta smiled ruefully. "It seems like you have an idea of what's going on here…"

I let out a small laugh. "Yeah; though I can't bring myself to think like them, I can respect a wizard. They work for the power they have, every step of the way. Every spell they gain, they claw and scrape for it; learning from experience inside and outside of battle. Sorcerers are simply born with their power, knowing no humility or restraint. They claim they are meant for greatness, only because of a stroke of genetic luck." I paused, feeling a smirk of grim satisfaction growing my face. "I've put many of them in their place, showing them that a 'lowborn rogue with a muddied heritage' can indeed show them their true place in life."

"Like you did earlier today?" Siesta said with an upbeat tone, clearly enjoying the fact that I've beaten others similar to the stuck-up nobles in her land.

"Yeah." I laughed lightly, feeling my mood lighten up. "Just like earlier…"

We were silent as we continued to work, cleaning the clothes in a pleasant monotony. While we did so, I allowed Siesta to teach me how to properly clean Louise's undergarments. Every subtle movement of the hand, every soft brush, I was able to grasp instantly. My natural dexterity aided me in the more complex movements when it came to getting every little spot. While we did so I couldn't help but notice Siesta giving small, appreciative glances. It helps that I had to roll up the sleeves of my tunic in order to get them out of the way.

"I have to say, we've only been talking about me. While I'm not averse to it, I've known myself so long that hearing my own work bores me. What do you say we talk about you, Siesta?"

"Oh!" The maid jumped lightly, surprised at my request. Her face flushed lightly when she replied, "I don't know... Compared to you, Lyall, my life is a bit boring..."

"I wouldn't say that. From my experience, it's the help that has the juiciest stories to tell considering they work so close with the wealthy. You'd be surprised what the rich get into when they have nothing to do and a large sum of money to their name."

Siesta smiled, but shook her head. "Though I do see what you mean, I have no stories like that. I've only worked here, at the academy, so I don't have anything 'juicy' to tell."

I smirked, "Well, you just haven't been in the right places. All it takes is being in the right place at the right time." Suddenly, I felt an idea come to mind and a conspiratory smile come into fruition. It was a smile that would instantly arouse suspicion in the few people that knew me well enough. "How about I teach you a few things? It wouldn't hurt to know how to move silently."

Siesta gave me a look, "You'd teach me some of your...skills? We just met..."

I shrugged, "I've been around enough people and lived long enough to be able to get a read on people. You're a kind person, Siesta, I can clearly see that."

The maid's face flushed a very dark red as she looked away from me. "Thank you for that, Lyall."

"You don't need to thank me. I make it a point to always tell the truth." Placing a clean panty into the bucket, I stood and brushed my legs off. "Let's get started."

She gave me a surprised look. "Right now?"

"Yeah. It's surprisingly simple to get started. All it really is, is trial and error. Know what helps you hide and what makes it more difficult. It's all about using the basics to their absolute best." I held a hand out to her, lending her my strength so she could stand.

She took my hand and got to her feet, brushing off her apron. "I hope it won't hurt too much."

I gave her a small smile. "Only if experience is your teacher."

* * *

**Louise**

A mage hunter. I can't believe I actually summoned a mage hunter. I brought a hunter of my own people into the world. The only way I can make it worse is if I summoned elf.

But...he's kind. He's eccentric, a little goofy, but there's a world-weary look to him, like he's seen a bit too much.

"Lyall." I whispered his name, just to see how it felt. It was a strong name, one that made me think of loyalty. I don't know why, but when I saw Lyall, I can't help but think of a...wolf. A part of me wanted to consider him solely as a dog, since he was just me familiar, but there's more of a...wild look in his eyes. It would explain his decision to call himself the 'alpha male' of the academy. In a way, his fight with Guiche could be seen as a battle for dominance, a way for him to be recognized in a new land.

I doubt any of the other students would challenge since he called himself a mage hunter.

I shuddered lightly at the title. What could have happened for him to tale such a path in life? To actively hunt people with more power than he has? Is he insane, did he get hit on the head when he was young?

"How has he lived as long as he has?"

"Luck. Lots of luck and a healthy chunk of skill." Lyall's voice cut in, causing me to jerk to the side and watch him take a seat at the table.

I looked to him, then down at my dresser, which held the empty basket. Confused, I strode over to the dresser and opened it. I felt my jaw fall open as it was now refilled with all of the clothes I had sent him to clean. Giving him another confused look, I walked over to the cupboard and saw it also filled with my uniform, skirts, cloaks and all. "I've been here the whole time! How'd you put everything back without me noticing?!"

"Well, it's actually pretty easy if the person you're trying to hide from isn't exactly looking for you. Plus, being quiet helps especially. You know, it's kind of important for stealth." Lyall smirked as he removed the sheathe from his back and placed it on the table. Slowly wrapping his hand around the hilt of the blade, he gradually pulled the weapon out of the sheathe. Little by little, the weapon that Lyall kept at his back was revealed in its entirety. He held it to the side, spinning it in grasp with a practiced efficiency. The black steel sang harmoniously, carving a path through the open air. "Sadly, I don't have my tools for cleaning my blades. So, I was hoping we could go into town on your next day off. I'd greatly appreciate it if you were to cover me for a set. Nothing special, mind you, just as long as it satisfactorily cleans my sword."

The black blade radiated with almost a malevolent aura, as though it wanted to be swung in battle. Even as I stood on the opposite side of the room, I could feel an oppressive feeling as I looked upon that demented weapon. "What _is_ that?"

Lyall gave me a look out the corner of his eye. Then he grinned; hefting the sword in his hand, he said, "This old thing? It's my specially made sword, enchanted with a distaste for magic and those who wield it. Think of it this way, I use this sword the same way you would use your wand." His grin sharpened as he placed it back on the table. "It's the bread and butter of my fighting style."

I simply gulped as I watched him pull out a small rag, wiping the blade down slowly. I wanted nothing more than for him to put that dreaded... _thing_ away, to get it as far from me as humanly possible. The simple sight of it caused me to want to crawl under my bed and beg my familiar to get that cursed weapon of mass destruction back into its sheathe and _away from me_. However, I am a noble, and it is a noble's duty to stand up and face down all danger. "Lyall, why does that sword seem so...foreboding?"

He looked to me, his expression partially masked. After a moment of silence, he chuckled, "I guess I wasn't clear at first." Standing, he took a firm hold of his sword and grabbed the sheathe. Spinning the sword expertly, he sheathed it, causing that oppressive aura to dissipate. "It's enchanted to do specialized harm against arcane spell casters and since you seem to feel _something_ from it, I guess it would harm the nobles here in a similar way." He smirked lightly, looking pleased with himself. "In addition, due to my own specialized training, no one can cast a spell while I am engaging them in melee."

I scoffed, disregarding his statement altogether. "Yeah right, I'll accept that you are a mage hunter, but that goes a bit far."

Of course, his next expression shook me. "Oh, really? How about we test it out then." Lyall stepped up to me and pulled his sword several inches from its sheathe. "Try to cast a spell and then we'll talk."

I glared at him; lifting my wand, I began to chant. However, I couldn't feel my willpower, the source of my magic. Whenever I reached for it, it simply receded from my internal reach. I clenched my jaw, reaching deeper, but still...nothing. Releasing a tired breath, I let my arm fall, but continued to glare at my familiar. "Fine, you win this time."

He grinned, pushing the weapon back into its sheathe. "Just wait, there will come a time when you'll see what I can do. Then, you can stare in complete awe at the familiar you summoned. Until then, wait patiently." Turning away from me, he released a small yawn. Placing his sword onto the table, he said, "I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted I didn't exactly get a good night's sleep last night..."

I nodded lightly, realizing that it was indeed getting late. I was about to order him to change me, but stopped short, remembering that he didn't particularly like doing that. Gritting my teeth, I changed into my sleepwear and climbed into bed. Waving my wand, I cut off the light and laid my head down to rest.

"Sweet dreams..." Lyall muttered as I slowly left the land of the conscious.

* * *

_Once again, my dreams were dominated by my familiar and his allies, though it wasn't of combat and death but of interactions with others. Politicking and diplomacy were rampant as I watched Lyall speak with the leaders of various factions, his words eloquent and persuasive. He and his companions looked haggard and injured, but they pushed on, appearing as though they were trying to broker a treaty. _

_Lyall paced back and forth, looking to each and every person with surprising earnestness. It was completely unlike the Lyall that I had seen the passed day and a half. He seemed too...eccentric to be a successful politician, but he possessed the eloquence of speech and the smooth vocabulary of an ambassador. _

_The debate was heated and blades were nearly drawn, but my familiar remained calm. His grey eyes were sharp and without jest as he simply stared down his current adversary amongst the congregation. His hands remained down at his sides, nowhere near the hilts that protruded out over his shoulders. _

_No one moved; it seemed as though no was breathing, the air was so stiff with tension. Then it happened, the man lunged towards my familiar, sword drawn and aimed at his neck. _

_Lyall simply watched him charged forward, his eyes tired and empty. He made no move to retaliate or counter. I was stuck in silence, watching and waiting for him to make a move. _

_Then it happened._

_My familiar spun to the side and evaded the stab. Throwing his foot out, I slammed it into the back of the man's knee and brought him down. Reaching down, Lyall grabbed him by the arm and tore the sleeve free, revealing a mark that resembled a black hand. _

_Lyall called out again, his words ringing with authority. It was at this moment that the others in attendance were beginning to with him, nodding their heads in assent. With that done, he released the man and allowed heavily armed soldiers to take the ousted traitor. _

_"So, my familiar can actually be calm and mature? That's a surprise..."_

* * *

**-Lyall-**

"You don't need to sit in on my class. I'm perfectly fine on my own." Louise muttered impatiently to me as I relaxed into the seat next to her.

I shrugged, "Believe me, if I had any other choice, I'd roaming the grounds aimlessly; but I have no idea how the magic in this world works. If I'm going to be as effective as possible, then I need to have at least a smidgen of a clue. To be a hunter, you have to know your prey." I shrugged, smirking lightly as I felt the fearful stares directed my way. "I like to be prepared." I'm sure Auren would have a field day if found out that I was willing to sit in on an academic class about the workings of magic... Even if it was in a school for sorcerers.

Louise regarded me with an impatient expression, but simply leaned back into her seat, crossing her arms in a huff.

I smirked, giving the young girl at my side a cursory look. She's seemed to have recovered from yesterday's surprise. I have to say, Louise is a hell of a lot tougher than any of the kids here. When I followed Louise here, the two of us were given a wide berth as we approached the class. There were also the looks of absolute dread the students gave me, especially from the boys. The girls, while still hesitant, weren't actually, completely going out of their way to avoid me. I'm still not their favorite person, by far, but I'm sure they remembered what I proclaimed yesterday.

What can I say? I find chivalry to be quite important. Womanizing when it hurts the people involved is despicable. However, if both parties are aware and okay with it, then there's nothing I can really do.

"So, what's today's class about?" I whispered to her as the class waited for the instructor.

"Earth magic, I believe. The academy recently obtained the services of a noble who specializes in it." She gave me a slight glare when she noticed the grimace on my face. "What's wrong?"

"I really don't like fighting earth mages. They have too many possibilities for both offensive _and_ defensive spells." I spoke rather slowly, going over past skirmishes and experiences with fighting earth based beings."

Louise shook her head, "Earth magic is slow and unwieldy. While that is correct, the spells a earth mage has at hand take just a bit too long for my personal taste."

I snorted, "You're forgetting the fact that those experienced with earth magic can have the magical prowess to completely bypass that flaw. There's also the fact that when complete, they can tank pretty much anything you throw at them." Allowing a triumphant smirk to appear, I shrugged the shoulder that held the strap of my bastard sword. "Well, except my sword."

"Why is that? What's so special about your sword..." I gave her an amused look, arching my eyebrow. "Aside from that cursed enchantment you put on that blade, of course."

"It's made of a very rare, and quite expensive, metal that is known to be the strongest in existence. It cannot be broken, shattered or bent; or rather, it's obscenely difficult to do so. It is meant to sunder, cleave and tear through all its master deigns to strike. It, my master, is created from a steel called adamantine and has saved my life more times than I share to recall." I paused, rubbing my chin in thought. "Well, I guess it'll be protecting your life now, as ironic as that sounds." I grinned widely, holding back a small laugh.

At that, Louise sighed heavily, which strangely reminded me of my old friend Auren. Eh, I guess I have that affect on people.

Afterwards, an older woman strode into the classroom. She was short, stout and wore a green robe. The brunette strode up to the table and cleared her throat. Looking to everyone in the class, she smiled widely, "I am glad to see that the Springtime Summoning Ritual was a success for all of you. It is always refreshing to see the familiars my students summon as it helps me better understand each and every one of you." Her eyes finally reached Louise and I. When they landed on me, I was leaning back in my seat with my feet propped up on the table and my arms behind my head. Grinning widely at her, I noticed her flinch slightly. "My, Ms. Vallière, you summoned quite the strange familiar."

The entire class went dead silent at her statement. No doubt deathly curious as to what will happen next.

Louise smiled ruefully, "Ah, yes, I would say he is, Mrs. Chevreuse. My fam- I mean, Lyall, can be a bit of a handful at times."

That caused a reaction in the class. People were leaning into one another, whispering quickly and conspiratorially.

I scanned the room behind me slowly, getting a good look at who may be generating a rumor or two, and managed to catch sight of the redhead, Kirche, doing...something with her rather low cut uniform. Blinking once, I turned away from her, trying not notice the overly forward and amorous redhead slide a hand into her cleavage.

"Oh...so you're calling your familiar by his name now?"

Louise blushed lightly, her eyes downcast. "Um, yes, he...insisted upon it..." She sounded rather put off by it.

Mrs. Chevreuse nodded, "I see." She was silent for a few seconds, then responded with a smile. "I commend you for your maturity, Ms. Vallière. You may have had an unorthodox summoning, but you've chosen to accept the commoner you've summoned."

I felt an eyebrow twitch. The subtle condescension in her voice when she referred to me as a 'commoner' was not missed. An adult she may be, an instructor in an academic institution she may be, but she was still a noble and nobles hold their powers over people. Unfortunately, Louise has not known me long enough to catch my tics as Auren has, and she doesn't know the things that push my buttons, so she had no way of predicting my next action.

"_Actually_, it was me who kind of pressed the issue of my name." I blurted out, feeling a little rambunctious. Chevreuse jumped at my sudden interruption and gave me a wide eyed look.

"I-I see, Mr. Lyall-"

"Just Lyall, please. Mister is a bit too stuffy for my tastes."

"Okay, Lyall, I see." She cleared her throat, "Then I'm afraid I'll have to retract my pra-."

"That is also not needed. Louise was mature about the whole thing, but it just took a small heart to heart chat to get my point across." I was unable to hide my grin.

Chevreuse nodded quickly, clearly not at ease with me. "Understood, Lyall. It is good to see that my student has summoned someone sensible."

"Sensible? Me, sensible?" I leaned back and laughed out loud. Going towards Louise, I tapped the girl on the shoulder. "She called me sensible!? Can you believe it?!" I laughed just a bit more, completely aware of Louise's wide-eyed stare. Slowly coming to a stop, I released a small breath and placed my elbow on the table, resting my head on my hand. "Mrs. Chevreuse, I am not a sensible person. Nearly everything I do, I do based solely on what I feel is necessary. If I felt the need to kick this table over and break every damn thing in this room, then I'd do it. If I felt the need to climb to the top of the academy and scream my dominance as the alpha male, then I'd do it. But I don't. A sensible person would, upon summoning, search endlessly for a way to get back home and do whatever it took to get back; that's rather important for me, as well, considering my home world is currently at war. However, I am not sensible; I follow what I feel is necessary and that happened to end up agreeing to become Louise's familiar." I paused, allowing another wide grin to appear on my face as I saw the wide-eyed look of fear on the instructor's face. "I assure you, I am perfectly sane, but getting caught in explosions point blank does screw with your head a bit."

I leaned back in my seat and lifted a hand, "I'm done, so you can continue with class. Unless there's another topic you wish to broach. I am a bit knowledgeable on some branches of magic, if that's your poison." I allowed my grin to grow even more, shaking the instructor up a bit more.

Chevreuse was struck silent for a few moments, but quickly composed herself. "Moving on..." Her voice shook lightly as she turned back to the students. Soon, she was able to regain her capacity of speech and quickly went on to explain the schedule for today's class.

Unfortunately, as much as I knew the necessity of learning about the magic of this world, I wasn't exactly able to keep my attention focused on the lecture. Absently-mindedly, I reached into my cloak and pulled three daggers. Holding the tip of one in between my pointer finger and thumb, I lightly tossed it into the air, then tossed a second, followed by a third. As they fell, I caught each one and tossed it back into the air as they fell. It only took a few moments for me to get into the rhythm of it, but I was soon juggling a trio of rather sharp and pointy daggers, rather nimbly if I may add. Focusing on the weapons rather than the lecture, I began to throw in an extra gesture or two, just to make things interesting. After every dagger I threw back into the air, I would tap the table once. Upon reaching the sixth rotation, I decided to tap the table three times, which caused things to get a little hectic.

Feeling a childish grin come to my face, I began to feel a little rushed as I moved my hands rapidly and deftly, my fingers nowhere near getting pierced my by own weapons. Then, after feeling the table tapping to be easy, I decided to incorporate a flick of my wrist, catching the daggers from the back of my hand, rather than palm facing up. This has been always been a cure for boredom ever since I decided to carry multiple daggers on my person. However, it has the unfortunate side affect of attracting a bit too much attention.

Out of the corner of my eye, I couldn't help but notice Louise giving me the stink eye. Without even attempting to stop juggling, I looked over to her and shrugged confusedly.

She pointed to the daggers I was still juggling and whispered, "_Stop, you're attracting undue attention_!"

Still continuing to juggle, I turned my head and did a small sweep of the room, seeing pretty much all of the students staring wide-eyed at me. Frowning, I sighed heavily and quickly caught all of the daggers, replacing them back into my bandolier.

"Okay, Ms. Vallière, would you like to try the spell?" Mrs. Chevreuse asked my young master politely; I could actually see that she was a bit shaken by my presence. Though I hid it, I felt rather accomplished in my skills as a mage hunter that I was able to shake up an experienced spell caster in this world.

"Um, Mrs. Chevreuse, that really isn't such a good idea..."

I arched an eyebrow and looked over my shoulder at the source of the voice. It was Malicorne, the stout young boy that informed me where the Vestri courts were.

"And why is that, Mr. Grandple?"

"Well, Louise doesn't have the best track record with magic, considering she's the Zero after all."

The redhead, Kirche, chimed in, "We wouldn't want her to blow something else up, after all."

Louise clenched her fist in anger as the class began to laugh at Kirche's and Malicorne's comments. Getting to her feet, she proclaimed, "I'll do it."

"No! Don't do it, Louise. Let me do instead!" Kirche cried out.

"I'll do it!" Louise stood up quickly and strode towards the front table.

Mrs. Chevreuse smiled proudly and said, "Now, do you remember the incantation?"

Louise nodded and lifted her wand, pointing it that the three stones.

As she did so, I couldn't help but notice several begin to sidle away from the front of the room, going as far to even get under their tables. Sylphid's master, who Louise told me was names Tabitha, even stood and walked right out of the room, book in hand. I arched an eyebrow in confusion as to why everyone would do that.

When Louise began to chant for the spell, an instinct honed by years of experience and the memories of being nearly eviscerated by several traps instantly activated. Standing quickly but silently, I scanned the room for the source, but I was quickly drawn back to Louise at the front of the classroom. A curse danced at my lips as I kicked my table forward, creating a makeshift barrier, and raced towards Louise.

As she finished the spell, I reached her and wrapped an arm around her waist. Lifting her off of the ground, I dived behind the table and pulled her into my chest as the explosion shook the entire classroom.

All of that took place in a matter of seconds.

Silence reigned for several moments as we remained still following the explosion. I peeked over the table and looked around at the carnage that was left in the aftermath of the explosion. I blinked in slight wonder and went back under the lip of the table. "What in the hell was that?"

Louise grumbled something, which was lost in the emptiness between her and my chest.

"Speak up, pinky, I didn't quite hear you." I said, smirking lightly.

Louise broke away from me and said, "I tried to cast a spell..."

"Wasn't that the supposed to be alchemy?" I was unable to keep the amusement I felt from seeping into my tone of voice.

She looked away from me, crossing her arms. "Yes..."

When she didn't continue, I tried to put everything together. Her fellow students call her 'Louise the Zero', something she herself hates with a passion. She was angry when she first summoned me, clearly wishing she summoned more 'majestic'. Everyone was afraid when Louise was chosen to demonstrate alchemy...

Ah... I see why...

"So, that's the reason the others call you Zero." I said softly, just loud enough for her to hear.

Louise jerked at my statement and glared at me. "What? What do you mean by that?!" She growled angrily, her face turning a shade of red.

"Everyone makes fun of you for something out your control and give you an insulting title. They ridicule and mock you, bragging that they can do magic and you can't." I explained slowly and gingerly.

She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists in anger. "What are you trying to say, Familiar?"

I let that slide, since this is a sore subject for her. "What I'm trying to say, Louise, is that everyone's oh-so wrong about you." I smirked at the look of shock on her face. "I myself may not be a mage, but I've been in the presence of powerful mages my entire military career, so I can recognize potential." I strode forward and placed a hand on her head, smiling widely. "I can say this with the utmost confidence, you're ten times the mage compared to everyone else in this academy." I paused then grinned, "Plus, Zero is an awesome title; make it your own."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Familiar of Zero, only the D&D character that causes mayhem and discord.

**A/N:** _I'm not gonna bother to try and make excuses for myself. I was gone. That's that. Classes are nearing the end and hitting their crescendo. There, that's that. Moving on._

_As for this chapter, I wanted to add a little more characterization onto Lyall, give him more emotions than goofy and kickass. I'm not entirely sure how I did, but I hope it works._

_To make up for my being missing, I'll be putting two chapters up. Just to show how sorry I am. _

_Anyway, read/review and, most importantly, enjoy!_

**The Alpha of Zero**

Chapter Three

The Talking Sword

I stood in a small clearing within the school grounds, my sword drawn. My eyes were closed as I breathed in and out slowly, slowly clenching and unclenching my hand on the hilt. Exhaling and inhaling, I made sure to remain as silent as possible, which came to me as second nature. Bringing my arm down, I held my sword perpendicular to the ground and crouched slowly, bending my legs gradually. I pushed a foot back and turned my body to shift my weight into a more comfortable position.

With a single exhale, my eyes shot open as I lunged forward, slashing with my sword. Inhaling in junction with my next swipe, I tore through the air with blurring speed. Spinning to the side, I flipped my wrist and released the hilt of my sword, quickly grabbing it again to grasp it in a reverse grip. Stabbing the air again, I inhaled once again to maintain my breath. Turning again, I released the sword with my right hand and threw my left forward, catching the hilt in an instant, lunging with the blade even farther.

Grasping the hilt with hands, I crouched and lunged forward, slashing again and again. In my mind's eye, I visualized a group of enemies before me and struck as quickly and as efficiently as I knew how.

The first attack would've surprised the first by nearly tearing him in half.

The second attack would brought me around the first target and against the next enemy, goring him in the back.

The third would've threw him off my blade and staggering into one of his allies.

At this point, they would've seen me. Since I was alone, they would no doubt try to circle me. Holding my sword at the ready, I would wait and watch as two of them would go to opposite sides of me. Another would inevitably charge me head-on as a distraction.

I could feel a rush of power surge through me as I held my sword loosely but firmly.

Stepping to the side, I would tumble behind the man and thrust my sword into his back, striking a vital point. He drop to the ground, close to death if not dead already. Getting quickly to my feet, I bring my blade to the side, parrying an attack from one of the flankers. The second would try and capitalize on my supposed distraction and lunge at my open back. I would respond by turning quickly, slashing at him with my weapon.

That would leave me open to the first flanker, who would also strike at my open back.

To which I would have to turn back to him and block his attack.

Which would cause the second to try again.

Which I would block by turning to parry him.

Which would cause the first to attack me...again.

Frustration seeping into my focus, I released a tired breath and stabbed the ground with my sword. Tapping my foot quickly, I tried to rein in any excessive anger since I didn't need to give the students at this school any more reason to be scared shitless of me.

"Lyall, are you okay? You were doing so well."

I looked over to the person who had decided to view my personal training. Siesta was at my side with her head cocked to the side in confusion. She held a towel out to me as she waited for my answer. Truthfully, she and Louise were the only people who I was with on a slightly regular basis. I wouldn't be lying if I said I enjoyed her company.

"I lost focus." I gratefully took the towel and wiped my forehead.

Siesta pursed her lips, clearly confused. "You lost focus? What do you mean?"

I gestured to my sword. "I'm not used to fighting with only one sword. My favored, and perfected, fighting style is a two-weapon style. I left my other sword back home, so I'm left with only this one." Pulling the sword out of the ground, I casually sheathed it with a small flourish.

"Oh, well, can't you get a new one here?" She asked me innocently.

"I would, but I have no money and I doubt I'd find a sword that would work well in tandem with mine."

After a moment of silence, Siesta pouted at me, "You know, sometimes I wonder if you tease me on purpose when you speak about things from your world."

I arched and eyebrow at her, then felt myself grin widely. "It's a possibility." When her pout deepened, I couldn't hold back the laughter that had forced itself free. Wiping the back of my neck with the towel, I shake my head and said, "I'm sorry, I'm just not used to this place yet."

Siesta sighed and shook her head lightly, "It's alright; just remember that I'm a maid, not a soldier."

"I don't know, you're taking to my impromptu training rather quickly. You may have had a past life in my world as someone in the light infantry." I smiled at the flushed expression on her face.

"I'm glad you think that, but I'm no stranger to hard work. I am the oldest of eight siblings, so I had help out on the farm before coming here."

Dabbing my neck to remove the sweat, I cocked my head to the side, "Large family, huh?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I'm from a small village in Tarbes. Do have any family back at your home?" Siesta asked me innocently, clearly probing for information about the mysterious familiar of Louise Francoise.

I looked to the ground, "Ah, no..." My voice was soft. "I didn't have a family growing up, I was kind of on my own..." I looked up to her and smiled widely, trying to hide old pain that refused to go away with time.

Siesta lifted her hands to her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry, Lyall. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories!"

I shook my head, trying to reassure her. "No, it's okay. It is a sore subject, but I learned a lot from it. I ended much better off as I grew up." I tapped the hilt of my sword, "I became a pretty damn good swordsman and I'm one of the best when it comes to stealth." I placed a hand on my chin, looking to the side with a small, sly grin. "And I was blessed with these devilish good looks."

Siesta laughed at my antics, covering her mouth. After a few moments, she released a breath, "Well, I'm glad you turned out the way you did. You're strong and humble, unlike the nobles in this world."

I snorted, "I have to be humble; you have no idea how many people I knew that would kick my ass if I wasn't. Too many to count, that's how much." Shaking my head with a smile, I released a small breath. Placing a hand on my stomach, I heard the grumbling of the disgruntled beast that had awoken within me. "Do you know where I can find something to eat? That work out built up one hell of an appetite."

Siesta placed a finger on her chin in thought, then smiled softly. "Of course, follow me."

* * *

"Well, what do you think, Blade?" The large chef grinned down at me as I began to eat the stew and bread given to me. He was a large set man with a muscular frame and well-trimmed goatee. Clad in the white garb of a chef, he waited for my response.

"Um, for the last time, please call me 'Lyall'. 'Our Blade' is a little a pretentious in my opinion. I mean, all I did was smack around a child." I told the man and turned to my meal. Grabbing the spoon, I scooped some of the stew out and ate it. As soon as I did, I released a groan of contentment. "This is incredible."

Marteau let loose a heavy laugh. "Humble and skilled! We're truly blessed to have someone like you appear here!"

After taking a bite of the bread, I shook my head. "I don't care what you call me, only of you let me eat here whenever I'm hungry."

Marteau laughed heartily, "I don't mind it, though some of us may not always be here all the time." He grinned easily, "Though I'm sure Siesta would love to cook for you every so often."

"Mr. Marteau..." Siesta flushed embarrassedly.

Arching an eyebrow at her, then at Marteau, I shrugged.

* * *

**-Louise -**

I looked at my wand, feeling much more sure of myself. Lyall's words were rather blunt, but the meaning behind them and his confidence helped get the message to me.

* * *

_"I can really do magic?" _

_"Hell, yeah! What do you call all those explosions you keep creating?"_

_I groaned, glaring at him. "What are you trying to say?"_

_He palmed his face, "What I'm trying to say is this: if you couldn't do magic, then those explosions wouldn't be happening. I'm not an expert, but what I do know about magic as a whole is that when you have a lot of it, but not a lot of control, then things tend to go boom when you don't really want them to." _

_I gave him a level look, then cleared my throat. "So...I'm not Zero?"_

_"Oh, you're Zero alright, but for an entirely different reason. Not Zero success rate, but Zero control. No doubt about it there." _

_I glared at him, clenched my fists tightly. "Lyall, give me one good reason why not to put you in the center of one of my explosions."_

_He lifted hand and extended a finger, "I have several: first, you wouldn't catch me. Second, I would take your wand and keep it from you for trying. Third, you should be better than that." He extended a finger for every one of his points. At the end, he lowered his hand and crossed his arms. "There's not much I can do about magic application-wise, but I know a little magic theory." He was silent for a few seconds, but resumed talking, "Tell me again, what are the four affinities?"_

_"Wind, water, fire and earth." I explained to him. "There is also the fifth, lost element, Void. What difference does asking that make? I've already tried to use all four of the elements and none of them worked."_

_"Have you tried Void, then?" Lyall asked me, completely serious._

_I gave him a frustrated look, "Of course not! Void is a lost element. It hasn't been used for 6,000 years!"_

_"That's oddly specific..." He muttered to himself, then shook his head. "Regardless of that, have you even tried to it?"_

_I huffed and shook my head._

_"Well, now we know what's on the agenda..."_

* * *

"How can I try something that's been lost for 3 millennia?" I muttered angrily as I crossed my arms and leaned back in my seat. I was about to get into bed, when I heard a sudden yelp and a crash. Jumping out of my chair, I grabbed my wand and raced to the door. I threw it open and saw my familiar, Lyall, standing over a red salamander with his sword pressed against its underbelly.

"I have no idea what you're trying to pull, but you don't drag me into dark rooms! I have standards, you damned lizard, and you most certainly do not fit them." His voice was a harsh whisper as I noticed his hand tightly clench the hilt of his sword.

Before I could say anything, the door to the aforementioned dark room was quickly pushed open, revealing that cursed Zerbst woman clad in nothing but a sheer purple night gown. "Oh, please don't impale Flame with your sword, Mr. Lyall. Please, _impale_ me instead." I swear, that woman knows no modesty.

However, while I could've intervened, a part of me wanted to wait and see how he reacted to Kirche's advances. Lyall narrowed his eyes at the fire mage and said, "I see what you did there. That's some pretty naughty wordplay you're throwing around, young lady." He sighed and looked from her, to her familiar. After a moment, he lifted his sword and pulled it away from Flame. "Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I honestly don't know, but no one is getting impaled tonight." He eyed Kirche critically, and said, "Since this guy is yours, I'm assuming you told him to do drag me into your room?"

Kirche pushed out her chest and smiled sultrily. "Of course. My body was burning for the company of a _real_ man. So, I had Flame bring the only candidate to my room."

Lyall rolled his eyes, "Yeah, whatever, I'm not some pubescent teenager. I don't go weak-kneed at the sight of breasts, which you seem to flaunt relentlessly."

"Well, I do have to catch the eye of my target, don't I?"

"Like I said, I'm not a little boy anymore. I'm a man who knows what he wants. It'll take more than your peep show to drag me into your bedroom." He was about to turn, but Kirche grabbed his arm.

"Then what will it take?" Her voice was heavy with something that I'd rather not describe.

Lyall simply smirked and gabbed her wrist. Pulling it off of his arm, he said, "If you have to ask, then you won't know. If you know, then you don't need to ask." As he blew off Kirche, he took notice of me standing in my doorway. He lifted a hand and smiled, "Oh, hey, Louise! How long have you been standing there?"

As I looked passed him and saw the shocked expression on the Zerbst woman's face, I couldn't help but smile. "Long enough." When my familiar walked into my room, I lifted a hand and said, "Good night, Zerbst." I then stepped into my room and shut the door. Lyall was sitting at the table, propping his feet up. "You blew her off."

He looked to me with a somewhat tired expression. "I'm sorry?"

"Kirche. You blew her off. I'm curious as to why..." I probed lightly.

He shrugged lightly, "She did send her familiar to forcefully drag me to her room. I do things willingly, or not at all. There's also the fact that she's a bit too...expressive for my tastes. I prefer the women I court to be tasteful, at least when in public."

I felt myself smile lightly, "It's good to know you actually think things through, and don't drool at every attractive girl you come across."

"Don't get me wrong, I did when I was younger." Lyall shuddered, "I was surprisingly a lot like that blonde fop, Guiche, when it came to womanizing, in my early years." He paused, placing a hand on my chin. "Though, I was much more discreet and quite a bit more varied in my compliments. I only got caught once, but it was one hell of an ass-kicking." The warrior grimaced and shook his head, "I've never seen war priestesses the same since."

I arched an eyebrow at him, "Then I'm glad you learned from your mistake."

"So am I, Louise, so am I." He held a hand to his mouth and yawned silently. Leaning back, he released a tired breath. "When's your next day off?"

I walked over to my dresser and began changing. "In two days, why?"

"I was wondering if we could go into town and pick up a few things. I only need a second sword and some equipment to keep them properly maintained. It shouldn't be too much."

I was silent for a moment, thinking about how much of my allowance was left. I honestly had no idea what the normal price for a sword was, but as long as he didn't request a specially made one, then it wouldn't be a problem. "I don't see why not. I need to get something for myself anyway. However, don't you already have a sword and all of your daggers? Why do you need a second one?"

"I specialize in dual-wielding swords of same or similar sizes. While a few daggers would be more than enough for a noble like Guiche, I'm not arrogant enough to believe that there won't be someone more capable than I am. One of the first things I learned in my training as an Occult Slayer is to always assume my opponent is more powerful than I am, and act accordingly. To do that to the best of my abilities, I need to be at my best; so, I need a second sword." Lyall explained succinctly, adjusting the strap on his bandolier absent-mindedly.

I nodded, now dressed in my pink night gown. "I see. It's reassuring to know that you've put that much thought into it. Hopefully, you'll do the same before you cause another incident like you did with Guiche." I glared at him.

Lyall simply smirked, "I only act out when I know no one can punish me for it or when I'm feeling vindictive. As you get to know me, you'll learn to prefer it when I'm a little immature. There are two other attitudes I take on when not goofing around. The second is the attitude when you first summoned me. The third..." He paused, as if lost in thought; then shook his head, "Well, let me just say I hope you never have to see it." He yawned again and got up from his seat, "I've had a tiring day, so I'm going to crash. Night."

Lyall promptly took his place on the floor next to the table, closing his eyes and quickly falling asleep.

I climbed into my bed and lied down, "Good night..."

* * *

_Rage is an ugly thing. _

_Or at least I think so. I haven't seen anyone truly angry enough to lash out before witnessing Lyall provoke Guiche. It's just not something you think about, but the dream I had that night gave me a clue to what he mentioned earlier..._

_I stood in front of a burning building, with bodies scattered around the site. No one was there, save for a single man, illuminated by the firelight. His arms outstretched and head leaned back, as if basking in the atmosphere._

_The sound of clinking armor and heavy breaths pulled my attention from the morbid sight. My familiar led the group of people I had seen with him two times before. Lyall came to a stuttering stop, his eyes wide with shock and disgust. _

_"My god..." One of the men behind him cursed under his breath._

_Lyall blinked and mouthed something that escaped me. "You killed _all_ of them? Why?" His voice shook with emotion. "What did they do to deserve this?!" He cried out in anger, stepping forward._

_A taller man quickly grabbed him by the arm. "Lyall, calm down." He was taller by a small margin, but clad in a set of chain mail. _

_"He killed all of them, Auren." Lyall hissed through gritted teeth. "They did nothing to him and he killed them without remorse." He turned and took hold of Auren's collar. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill him where he stands!"_

_Auren met Lyall's gaze evenly, not backing an inch. "The man's a noble on the Lord's Council. Current act notwithstanding, we have no right to kill him."_

_"Screw that." Lyall growled out. Pushing Auren off of him, he turned and drew his swords. _

_"Auren, stop him or I will." A goateed man clad in golden armor warned._

_Lyall threw him a glare and said, "Try anything, Ralos, and I'll kill you. This man, noble or not, killed innocent people trying to live their lives in peace. We let him go now, he'll only be lost in the bureaucratic bullshit that he helped create"_

_"We can't know that." Auren beseeched my familiar._

_"Oh, he's right, Mr. Janten." The man cut into the conversation with a wide smile. "If you don't try and kill me now, then I can live the rest of my life knowing that the red tape preventing my execution will remain. However, if you do try and kill me, there's the whole issue of treason." He laughed lightly, "Oh, isn't it difficult to do good in a world dominated by evil?"_

_Lyall snarled, "Silence, murderer!" He began to walk forward, but Auren stopped him again. "Let me go, Janten." His words were coarse and cruel._

_"You realize he's doing this on purpose. He knows about your old relationship with this family. About their daughter..." Auren whispered to him._

_Lyall threw Auren a threatening glare, "Let me go."_

_"Oh, yes, Margaret. The oh-so-kind people that used to live here told me so much about their daughter. A fine hunter she was, don't you agree? Always providing her family with all the food and supplies they would ever need. It's a shame she decided to enlist. Otherwise, she never would've met you, Lyall." The man goaded my familiar, smiling easily._

_I was confused, completely unable to follow what was going on, but the moment I heard that phrase, I understood. The family that was killed by this man was connected to Lyall by way of a young woman he knew. Something must've happened to her before this._

_"Shut up." Lyall muttered dangerously. _

_"You've been searching all this time, haven't you? Trying to find out who sent those assassins." The man paced side to side. "It was difficult, mind you, trying to smuggle in those assassins with all the paladins patrolling. But all it took was a little mind control here, a little patrol reassignment there, and some bribery sprinkled everywhere. Finally, all I needed was the perfect target. I needed to shake one of you up, the so-called 'treasured vanguards' of the Shieldlands military. I knew that if even one of you were off balance, then the dominoes would fall." He placed a hand on his chin. "So, I decided to target the most easily influenced one of you: the weak-minded rogue. After all, if he wasn't able to track your targets or find a few well-hidden traps, then all of you would be dead in the water."_

_Lyall ripped his arm from Auren's grasp and took a step forward. Lifting an arm, he pointed his sword towards the man. "What the hell are you trying to say?"_

_The man grinned manically, "What I'm saying is that it was me who had your precious Margaret killed." _

_Lyall froze, his eyes wide with disbelief as his arm fell to the side. He stood frightening still for a few moments, looking as though he wasn't even breathing. The air was still, silent save for the crackling of the flame. His normally soft grey eyes were swimming with emotion. _

_"Lyall..." I muttered lightly._

_Then he began to laugh. Closing his eyes, he stabbed his sword into the ground and palmed his face. Laughing lightly, his shoulders shook with every sudden exhalation. The laugh started off small, then grew to a boisterous guffaw. I stared in shock at my familiar's sudden change in attitude, as did everyone else in his group._

_"All this time." He began to speak in between the laughs. "I've been searching; looking; digging for the person who killed her." Shaking his head, he wiped his eyes of a tear and smiled widely. "Only for me to finally learn it was someone so high up they could cut me off. It's a relief to finally have clarity, to finally have the fog lifted." He released a breath and rested a hand on his sword. "The entire time, I kept thinking about how I would deal with that son of a bitch once I found him, because I knew that I would eventually. Now that he's standing before me, well..." He quickly grabbed his sword and ripped it from the ground. Crouching, he held both swords ready. _

_It was frightening, nightmarish, the bloodlust behind that manic grin of his. His eyes were alive with a calm fury, watching his adversary closely. His black blades were simply invisible in the firelight, apparitions with the capability to harm. _

_"Well what, Mr. Greycloak?" The man said, amusement present in his tone._

_Lyall simply let a small, animalistic chuckle escape from him. "I'm going to fucking kill you." He shot forward, disappearing from sight._

_The man's eyes widened in surprise, losing my familiar._

_"Behind you..." His voice came from seemingly everywhere as a blade of black steel removed his arm._

_The man staggered forward, screaming in shock at the loss of an arm. Looking behind him, he saw Lyall standing there with a wide grin on his face, blood from the man's wound staining his cheek._

_"What are you screaming for? We're just getting started."_

* * *

**-Lyall-**

"Are you sure you slept well last night? Because those bags under your eyes don't tell the same story." I asked the young girl as we walked through the town.

"I told you, I'm fine." Louise grumbled lightly.

I sighed, "I'll take your word for it, but I'm going to be the one riding the horse back. You nearly fell off the horse five times."

She shook her head, "I said I'm fine..." She grumbled again.

Shaking my head, I replied, "Alright, I'll take your word for it, but if you're going to fall over, just warn me. If worse comes to worst, I'll carry you, okay."

Louise looked to me for a moment, her eyes scanning my face critically.

Seeing her watch me, I arched an eyebrow. "Are you trying to tell me that there's something on face without actually saying it? Because there are better ways to do it that staring."

Louise flushed and looked away from me. "I wasn't staring at you."

"Then what were you doing?" I asked her, my voice deadpanned. She muttered something under her breath. I didn't quite catch it, so I replied with, "Oi, shorty, I don't have super hearing. Speak up so I can hear you."

Louise bit her lip. "Who was Margaret?"

I stopped in my tracks, completely forgetting about the people all around me and focusing solely on Louise right in front of me. Louise stopped and fidgeted under my gaze. I felt my eyes narrow dangerously, my thoughts emptying. "How do you know that name?" My voice came out in a hoarse whisper, unconsciously promising violence.

"I-I had a dream..." Louise said softly.

"A dream? How does that explain you knowing that name?" I demanded from her, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know!" She whispered harshly.

I forced myself to calm down, closing my eyes tightly. Exhaling softly, I allowed my body to relax, my shoulders to loosen. Opening my eyes, I lifted my hand and looked at the gauntlet covered limb. "This must have something to do with the runes on my hand and our connection..." I muttered and shook my head. Lowering my hand, I looked to Louise, who was looking down and away from me. Releasing a breath, I replied softly, "She was someone I came to genuinely care for..."

Louise looked up to me in surprise. Then she whispered, "The war priestess?"

I let out a small laugh and shook her head. "No, I met her after that incident. She'd do worse than the war priestess. She was actually better than me at swordsmanship, though I was still the better hunter." I felt a small, reminiscent grin.

"So you loved her?" Louise asked me innocently.

I blinked at the question. Did I love her? It had been years since I had even heard her name, but her memory was with me. Did I love her? "Yeah, you could say I did."

We resumed walking, heading towards the blacksmith's shop. "What was she like?"

I arched an eyebrow at her. "You're full of questions aren't you?"

"If you don't want to answer, then you don't have to..." Louise said softly.

Shaking my head, I said, "No, it's alright. It's just been a while since I revisited these memories." Leaning my head back, I tried to remember. "She was stubborn and proud. When she set a goal for herself, she wouldn't stop until she reached it."

"That's admirable. Was she a mage in your world?"

I snorted, "You've heard that I'm a mage hunter and assume that she's a mage. The chances of me courting an arcanist in my world were slim to none. Of course not, she was an aspiring mage hunter like myself." I grinned at the shocked expression on her face.

"There are more of you in your world?!" She asked, completely thrown off balance.

"Of course, but it's a pretty small group of people. Arcane spellcasters don't appreciate it when people like that come into play. Plus, plenty of people prejudiced against mages aspire to be one. Luckily, the training is rather rigorous and painful, so only the most determined and skilled become masters." I grinned and placed a hand on my chest. "Yours truly is one of the few. She made it, too. As a matter of fact, we shared the same teacher and the same time. We would go out on missions meant for our specialties and complete them together."

"So, you were a pair of mage hunters who happened to fall for one another?"

"No." I shook my head quickly. "She didn't fall for me at first. She didn't really like me at all in the beginning. She thought I was an arrogant womanizer who flaunted his position as one of the enemies' most wanted."

Louise arched an eyebrow at me. "Were you?"

I sucked in a breath, "I may have been at one point, but I was on the mend from that particular ailment when I met her. It took a while, but I was finally able to win her affections through hard work, perseverance and saving her life at the cost of me being placed in extensive care for a few weeks."

Louise shook her head, "Why do I find that so obvious?"

"Hey!" I said, feeling a little insulted. "I wasn't thinking when I saved her. I just did what I felt was right."

She smiled lightly, "Maybe that's what helped you win her over."

"Yeah, maybe, but we never got far. The day I was allowed leave from the hospital was the day our camp was infiltrated by assassins." I paused, trying not to let old emotions resurface. It was already a painful memory, but I still had to confront it. "The first thing I did was go looking for her. By the time I found her, she was surrounded by the attacking force. After I made it to her, though, everything kind of goes blank. The very next thing I remember is holding her in my arms, dead. I don't even know if I said 'goodbye'."

"Did you cry?" The innocent question from Louise struck me.

"Yeah, I cried. I was a mess for weeks. I was barred from missions until I regained my head. With my newfound free time, I found her family and told them the horrible news." I shook my head and crossed my arms. "Though they said otherwise, I was sure they blamed me. My group did have a penchant for being danger magnets." I eyed Louise for a moment, then asked, "What dream did you have to spark these questions?"

She bit her lip, clearly nervous. After a moment of silence between us, she said, "It had fire, the man who caused it and claimed to have sent the assassins..."

"Oh... _That_ incident..." I said softly. "How much did you see?"

"Him provoking you and you...killing him..." Louise shuddered, as if reliving a bad memory.

"I don't remember a thing after he flat out said he killed her. All I remember was Auren holding me back, then me standing in the midst of...pieces." I said as I looked to the young girl next to me. Her face was paled and sleep-deprived. "You saw everything, didn't you?" She nodded lightly. I was silent for a little while before reaching to the side and placing a hand on her head. Surprised, Louise looked up to me. "Don't be afraid. That was years ago. I'm a new person now. I have a new person to protect. She's proud and determined, if a little lost, but I think I can help her. So don't be afraid, because anything that threatens you, I'll put it down. I may not be the familiar you've always wanted, but I'll be more than that. I'll be the older brother that protects you from bullies; the mentor that uses his experience to make sure you make sure you don't make the same mistakes; the soundboard for whatever you're thinking about; and I'll be the hunter cloaked in darkness that strikes down all foes before they can harm you." I smiled down at her and lifted my hand from her head, "Got it, shorty? The first order of business I'll be doing is changing 'Zero' from an insult to a badge of pride."

Louise was still for a moment before her eyes began to swim with emotion. Her lip twitched lightly as tears began to flow as she started to cry. Leaning into my side, she let out a small shudder.

Leading us out of the way, I muttered, "Just take your time, Louise. Take your time. I'll be here when you finish. I promise you..."

* * *

"How about this sword? It's made by the famous Germanian alchemist Lord Shupei. It's able to cut through metal like butter because of the enchantments placed upon it."

The shopkeeper pushed the aforementioned sword into my hands. I held the large golden blade in my hands, getting a feel for it. The instant I saw it, I knew without a doubt that it was not the sword for me. First off, it's a two-hander, so that gave it a demerit in my book. Second, it was too...gaudy. The swords I prefer to work with can't stand out too much, otherwise my modus operandi is thrown out the window, a major no-no. Third, it was an ornamental blade, meant to be hung above a fireplace, not to be used on a battlefield.

Louise gave the sword a critical look as the shopkeeper continued, "In all of my wares, it is the only sword worthy of being used in defense of a noble. It's pristine beauty trumps all other blades it would meet on the battlefield."

"How much?" Louise asked, clearly sold.

Before the shopkeeper could respond, I held it back to him. "Not interested. It doesn't fit my criteria."

The man took it with a shocked expression. He arched an eyebrow at me, "Alright, sir, then could you tell what would work for you?"

"Of course. First, it must be a hand-and-a-half sword, single or double-edged doesn't matter. Second, it can't be overtly decorated; it can't draw overt attention to me. Third, I'd prefer it if you didn't hand me a fireplace ornament and call it a weapon. I may not be the smartest person, but I know my swords; and that hunk of gold is not a weapon. The fact that it's made of _gold_ should tell you everything you need to know." I then shrugged and added, "Plus, I already have a sword that can cut through armor like butter. Having a second would be overkill."

The shopkeeper blinked in shock at my statement and was about to snap back, but Louise interrupted him. "Sir, you heard my familiar." She smirked haughtily, crossing her arms. "Please do as he asks."

The shopkeeper frowned and was about to turn and walk to the back of the store, but a fourth voice interjected, "Heh heh, looks like they got you."

The shopkeeper rolled his eyes, "Be quiet Derf."

I looked around the shop, seeing no other person, only weapons. "Um, who was that talking earlier? I don't see anyone else in here..."

"Back here, genius!" That same voice called out. I turned towards to the source of the voice, drawn to a barrel of old swords next to the door. Looking closer, I noticed the quillion of a rusted, brown sword move up and down. "I see you finally found me, boy. How 'bout you pull me out of this thing. It's a bit cramped."

Blinking slowly, I turned and pointed to the barrel. The shopkeeper waved his hand quickly, giving me the go ahead. I walked over to it and grabbed the sword by the hilt. Pulling it free from the barrel, I examined the blade and got a feel for its weight. The blade was rusted to all hell, caked brown and red. But...there was something about it that seemed...well, alive. The weight of the weapon was nearly perfect for me to wield one-handed. Testing the waters, I flipped the hand around my hand, adjusting my grip and giving a few test swings. The hilt was a little longer than what I was used to, but it made little difference in the fact that I wanted this sword.

"I have to say, kid, you know how to swing a sword. What do you say about being my partner?" The voice came directly from the sword.

I looked to Louise and gave her a look that amounted to a child when offered candy. Pointing to the sword with my free hand, I said, "I really want this sword, Louise. Pay the man what he needs."

Louise palmed her face at my antics and turned to the shopkeeper. "How much for that one?"

"For Derf? 100 gold coins."

A part of me wanted to lash out at the man. Only a 100 for the work of art that I held in my hand? Any person in their right mind would hoard it until someone with enough money to buy out an entire kingdom came along. However, I kept my mouth shut. Louise was going to buy me an intelligent weapon, and I'd be damned if I made it more difficult for myself.

Louise promptly paid the man for the sword and a set of tools to clean it, then we left. As we left, she looked to me with a confused expression. "Pray tell, what's so impressive about a talking sword?"

I gave her a gaping look of shock. "It's a _talking_ sword for god's sake! Do you know how rare they are?!"

The sword that was now strapped to my back stuck it's hilt partially out of the sheathe and said, "So, partner, you know about talking swords?"

"Know about them? You're damn right I do. In my world, they're called intelligent weapons and they impart special abilities onto the wielders if they share the same agenda. They're heavily enchanted weapons that are extremely rare and even more difficult to get a hold of; I didn't say anything earlier, but a true intelligent weapon is priceless. You can bet your ass I'm keeping this guy near me at all times."

"Ha! I only just met you and I already like you, partner. What's your name? I'm the great Derflinger, but you can just call me Derf."

I grinned, "The name's Lyall, Derf. I can't wait to get into another duel if it means I can test you out with my other sword." Looking to Louise, I quickly asked her, "Who in the academy do you not like?! I want to get into another battle!"

Louise palmed her face, groaning heavily at my antics.

Auren would have a field day with this. Hell, he'd be green with envy if he learned I got my hands on an intelligent weapon that shared a frequency with me. That, or scared shitless for society as whole.

Most likely the latter.

* * *

I held both my swords ready and closed my eyes, preparing myself for a second run. Flexing my hands lightly, I reaffirmed my grips and lunged forward with the sword in my right hand. Following up with a slash from the left hand, I slid to the side and evaded a phantom retaliation. Bring my left hand up, I blocked a second strike and followed up with a strike from my right.

Stepping forward, I slashed with my swords in rapid succession, incapacitating nearly every phantom enemy that stood against me. Twisting mid step, I casually let go of the sword in my right hand, allowing it to flip midair, before snatching it back of the air. Using the momentum behind my swipe, I added to the force of my slash, tearing through the air. Turning to the side, I blocked with the blade in my right hand and swung with the one in my left.

I could feel power flooding through my body, augmenting my every move. I was already extremely proficient in the use of my sword, but something in the magic that enhanced my capability to beyond what a master would have. With every swing of my sword, I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that a life would be taken as easily as severing a string. I could feel an exhilarated grin take residence on my face as I went about my silent routine, carving through phantom opponents.

Ending with a flourish, I slashed downwards, nearly tearing into the ground, and released a small breath. I opened my eyes slowly and rolled my shoulders, allowing the minute tension I felt to dissipate. Looking to the side, I turned towards my small audience of Louise and Siesta. Unbeknownst to me, in the middle of my practice, the audience grew by a small amount.

Kirche, Tabitha, Montmorency and Guiche had all appeared behind them. The look they had ran a small gamut between admiration, slightly enthralled apathy and hesitant fear.

Frankly, I was a little surprised at the look that Guiche was showing me. After the scaring I gave him, I was expecting to him piss himself and run in fear every time I would step into his periphery, let alone in front of him, yet he looked quite intrigued.

When it came to Kirche, I was not shocked at all. She was watching me with a small smirk, her face flushed ever so slightly.

Tabitha was simply watching me over her book, while going back to it every so often.

Montmorency was just like every other girl that I walked by, hesitant and a little apprehensive, but not completely avoiding me.

"So...is there any reason why I'm performing for an audience?" I asked Louise and Siesta, sheathing my swords.

Louise groaned and turned towards Kirche, "You see, Zerbst, I told you Lyall wouldn't want you here. There's a reason he blew you off."

"You wouldn't understand. A Vallière, of all people, wouldn't truly know how someone like me experiences love. Darling simply doesn't see how I feel for him." Kirche strode over to me and grabbed my arm, pulling it into her 'tracts of land'.

"'Darling'?" I asked her, completely perplexed.

"Yes, of course. I have utterly fallen for you, Lyall, my Darling. Your strength has captivated me and I must have you to sate the burning fervor that has taken form deep within me." Kirche squeezed my arm, pulling it even deeper into her cushiony embrace.

I sucked in a breath, lifting my free arm to sheathe one of my swords. "You keep saying that to yourself, Kirche. You still don't know what it takes to catch my eye."

At that, I couldn't help notice Siesta's attention perk up slightly, clearly listening to what I just said. However, before she could say anything, the blonde fop I used to assert dominance within the school spoke up.

"Sir Lyall, first allow me to give my most sincerest apologies for my attitude to you earlier. I had no idea that yo-."

I lifted my free hand, and said, "Hold it. I know excessive flattery when I see it. What do you want?"

Guiche paused and cleared his throat, "I've reflected on my wrongdoing and weaknesses after our duel. I feel that I need to better myself and that I cannot do it on my own. What I'm asking of you, Sir Lyall, is if you'll train me to be a warrior, like yourself."

"Nope." I said without hesitation, warranting a small laugh from Louise and a giggle from Siesta.

Guiche gawked, shocked at my sudden denial of his request. "Why not?"

One moment, my arm was trapped within Kirche's 'pillows' and the next I was behind the group, arms crossed and smirking. "For one, a mage hunter doesn't just teach his skills to the first rich boy that asks. It just wouldn't work for you at best, or outright kill you from the inside at worst. Second, I highly doubt you're asking this out of repentance."

Guiche's eyes widened, no doubt realizing that I've caught his act.

"However..." I said, allowing the boy to feel a small ray of hope. "I can teach you how to properly fight in melee, without relying too much on those golems of yours. On one condition."

Guiche placed a hand on his chest and proclaimed, "Anything, Sir Lyall!"

"Drop the 'Sir'. Ass-kissing doesn't work on people who can see you're full of shit." I cleared my throat and allowed a small grin to appear on my face. "I won't teach you my Occult Slayer techniques, but I will teach you how to use a sword and how to manipulate your words and those of others with frightening proficiency on the condition that you make a choice. Just a single harmless choice: you must either remain chaste and never flirt with a member of the fairer sex..."

Guiche's face paled quickly, his eyes widening shock. "...Or?"

"Or remain faithful to one girl. Only one, if you cheat on her or she breaks it off with you, you can't pursue another girl." I allowed my grin to become feral. "And before you can think about sneaking it, just know that I've been a master of stealth for little under a decade and know every trick of the trade. In other words, I'll know if you cheat or lie." I allowed a silence to fall over the group as I waited for Guiche's response.

The young noble blinked once, clearly distraught over the ultimatum I had given him. He looked to be at a loss for words, unsure of which 'poison' he had choose. Then he squared his shoulders and released breath. "Mister Lyall, I will choose the latter."

I nodded, showing a half-smidgen of approval. "Okay. Who will it be?"

Guiche suddenly turned towards the girl at his side. "Montmorency, will you do the honor of being my one and only lady?"

The girl gave him a long look, then looked to me. "Do you really think he'll keep to his word?"

"Oh, he will. I guarantee it; because if he doesn't, I'll beat him within an inch of his life." I said with a smile.

"Eh?" Guiche said quickly, shocked.

I gave him a smirk, "Yeah, when a man gives his word, he's expected to follow it through to the end. Where I came from, people were really steeped into honor and oaths." I placed a finger on my chin in thought, "You know, this reminds of a time when I witnessed someone breaking their word to an old acquaintance. There was a duel between the two almost immediately and the one who broke his word ended up being beaten to a bloody pulp." I nodded my head, "Yeah, that's how I'm going to do it. If you want me to teach the ways of verbal and physical swordplay, then you're going to have to play by my rules. If you go against your word, I'll force you into another duel and there will no 'yield' available. I will beat you in bloody, broken, bruised, battered, bawling heap. It will not be pretty."

"B-But, why?" He asked me, hesitant.

I shrugged, "I don't like you. You remind me of myself when I was a major prick, which is not a good thing. I'm willing to help, but the price and stakes will be higher. You're free to walk away right now, but once you start, it's till I deem you ready. Using the sword will fly by, I'll beat the basics into you to the point where you'll be dreaming of swinging a sword; however, the art of verbal manipulation is an always evolving art. There's a never an end to what can be learned. I will teach you the foundations, then leave you to your own devices. You'll learn what works best for you, rather than mimicking someone else's style. You will cry as I teach you; but if you get the pain out of the way now, there will be less as you move on." I grinned and crossed my arms, waiting for his answer.

Guiche was silent for the longest, his face pallor. He gulped and gave me a resolute gaze. "I'll do it."

I arched an eyebrow at him, in slight disbelief. I let out a small chuckle, "Looks like you actually have some steel in you, after all. I'll make to temper it...thoroughly."

Louise cleared her throat, catching my attention. "Didn't you say that you'd help me with my magic?"

Before I could respond, Kirche replied, "What magic, Zero? You can't even do the smallest spell."

"Don't make any assumptions too soon. Pinky has quite a bit of potential in her." Looking to Louise, I said, "I did say that and I will. It'll just take me a little bit to think of something. I'm not the familiar with the way the magic in this world works." Turning to Siesta, I winked lightly, "As for you, I haven't forgotten. Our training will be much more thorough. I know stealth much better than magic and combat."

Siesta flushed and nodded, "I'm looking forward to it."

I released a sudden breath and pushed a hand through my hair. "Speaking of stealth, magic and combat, when is that...Familiar Exhibition thing you and I hear people talking about?"

"In two days; why?" Louise replied with a confused expression.

I grinned, "Because I'm gonna win it for you, hands down." I paused, "Though I may have some competition."

Kirche puffed out her impressive chest. "Of course, it would be my Flame."

Guiche scoffed, though he was still shaken. "I must disagree, my lovely Verdandi will be the victor."

Montmorency simply rolled her eyes.

I scoffed and shook my head. "Nope, not talking any of them. I can beat a salamander, easily. It's just fire." Pointing to Guiche, I said, "Your mole? What're you gonna with it? Lie down in roses?" Smirking at his shocked expression, I looked to Montmorency and blinked, "Sorry, but, uh, I'm not gonna lose to a frog." She scoffed and crossing her arms.

Ending in Tabitha, I approached the smaller girl. "My biggest competition is going to be Tabitha and Sylphid. I'm going to have to think of something exceptional if I want to stand out against a dragon." I held my hand out to the girl, offering a good-natured challenge.

The young girl looked up from her book with an empty expression. Her eyes went from my face to her book, then to my hand. After a moment of silence, she allowed her staff to fall forward and the hook fell into my palm.

I smiled, "I'll take that." Letting my hand fall, I turned to face the group. "Well, I gotta go. Hunger calls." My stomach roared, as if on cue.

"Oh! I'll make you something, Lyall!" The maid rushed off, no doubt towards the kitchens.

I walked after her, unable to hide the anxiousness I felt for the future.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Familiar of Zero, only the D&D character that causes mayhem and discord.

**A/N:** _Chapter number two of today for you guys! Yay!_

_This one was much easier for me to write than the last one, but I think that's because it's getting closer to the establishing moments Saito had in canon. However, there will definitely be some changes. Lyall has skills that Saito didn't, so those will change things._

_As for the end. I couldn't help but finish there. I won't say anymore, just that it came natural._

_Read/review and enjoy!_

**The Alpha of Zero**

Chapter Four

An Unwelcome Guest

**-Lyall-**

"Please explain to me what you're going to do during the exhibition. I'd rather not be surprised when you start throwing around sharp objects." Louise said to me as we strode around the courtyard, taking in the practices of my classmates and their familiars.

I gasped lightly, placing a hand on my chest. "Louise! How did you know what I was going to do?" I asked her, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "You summoned a martial combatant, Louise. My skills aren't flashy and explosive, like someone I happen to be walking with right now." I gave her a sideways look, meeting her glare with a smile. "Don't worry, I won't go crazy with my blades. All I'll need are a few targets scattered around the courtyard..."

Louise groaned, "The princess is coming, so please don't do anything to make her guard too twitchy."

I arched an eyebrow at her, giving the young girl a perplexed look. "The princess of Tristain is coming to watch a Familiar exhibition? Forgive me for this, Louise, but all this really is, is a bunch of self-entitled, spoiled rich kids showing off their new pets and the tricks they can do."

She was silent for a moment, then smiled lightly, "You realize that would make you my 'pet' right?"

I snorted, "I already made sure to squash that thought, Louise. You couldn't tame me even if you had control over your magic. I'm too crazy to accept anyone as my master."

Rolling her eyes, she simply said, "Whatever, Lyall, just please don't embarrass me in front of her. I had the honor of being her playmate when we younger, so I'd rather you don't ruin it for me now."

Arching an eyebrow, I said, "So you know the princess well? Which means you'll get doubly pissed if I try to work my charm?"

Louise stopped and wheeled on me, her eyes turning sharp and angry. "Lyall, I'm warning you. Do not hurt the princess in any way or I'll make sure you get whatever comes to you. Princess Henrietta is a prize to Tristain and everyone loves her. If you hurt her, then you'll have an entire country against you."

I lifted my hands, acquiescing. "Fine. I'll keep my mouth shut if it's that important to you. I guess I know a topic to avoid whenever I'm joking around."

As we continued to make our way through the courtyard, Derf lifted slightly out of his sheathe. "Say, partner, what do you got planned for this talent show?"

"It's _not_ a talent show! It's an _exhibition_." Louise said with a pout.

I smirked, "Which is a fancier way of saying a 'talent show'." She threw a glare at me, to which I simply grinned. Replying to Derf, I said, "Honestly, I don't know yet. A part of me wants to juggle deadly weapons. Then again, that's more frightening than impressive. Another part of me wants to throw daggers at a target blindfolded, but I think that'll probably scare the little lambs clad in robes."

Derf laughed lightly, "You got that right. Mages always seem to scare so easily."

"Yeah, the insecurity is baffling. Power doesn't automatically mean authority." I said with a smile.

"Funny. Considering you declared yourself the alpha male of the academy on your second day here." Louise quipped.

I shrugged, "Hey, I had a point to make. Catharsis and securing dominance were just happy side effects."

"Speaking of that, partner, what did you say you were again?"

I felt myself grin, "I'm a mage hunter, Derf. The very thing that would cause every noble in this world to piss themselves over."

Louise was about to reply with some remark, but she was interrupted by the approach of one her teachers, Professor Colbert. The bald man walked towards us, lifting his staff to catch our attention. When he finally reached us, he nodded his head towards me and looked to Louise. "Ms. Vallière, the Headmaster would like to speak with you. If you would follow me."

She looked to me and I quickly waved her off. "Okay, Professor Colbert."

I was about to go my own way, but the teacher caught my attention. "It would benefit us all if you came with us too, Mr. Lyall. It concerns you as well."

I hummed lightly, holding my hand onto my chin. "Though I have to rehearse for the _talent_ show, I can spare the time." I grinned at the tired glare Louise threw me, though I could notice her trying to hide an amused smile. Clearing my throat, I motioned for him to lead the way.

Let me go on record saying that I have not been inside the main tower. I know it's a major breach in what a stealth and subversion specialist should do when in a new area, but I've never felt the need to actually go inside. While I know there are mages here that are stronger than the students, I don't really feel threatened enough to take an active approach. Plus, there's the fact that this is a school of all places and they do cater to the students who come here. While it is a good thing that the kids are safe, it doesn't help that they also reinforce the fact that every kid here is spoiled in some way.

Just once, just for a single day, I'd love to see just one of the kids live in the streets, fighting for necessities without the use of magic. Then maybe they'd have a little humility.

We were led into the tower and up several flights of stairs. The lights were dimmed and gave off a mysterious feel to them. While I'm sure it would affect a human's vision in a small way, my own ability to see perfectly in low light environments allowed me to see as though it was as bright as day. Looking around casually, I took in every nook and cranny, every possible choke point, every spot where an assassin could hide, every possible space where the momentum of a battle could shift.

Approaching the door, Colbert opened it and motioned for us to enter. Louise walked in confidently, while I simply followed her, looking around the room without hesitation.

The old man sitting at the desk caught my attention. I would be lying if his presence didn't cause me some apprehension. Wizards and sorcerers, in all their subtle and glaring differences, all share a single trait that makes them stand out from other combatants. The older they are, the more power have the potential to command. Young prodigies are one thing, but older, trained spellcasters are on an entirely different level.

The next thing that caught my attention was the young woman sitting at a second, smaller desk. She had long green (yes, green. I was mildly shocked) hair that was tied in the back and pushed behind her ears. She wore a pair of glasses a purple cloak. She was flipping through various books, writing whatever random nitpick she happened upon. The woman froze in her writings and slowly looked to me, her dark amber eyes meeting my grey ones.

I smiled good-naturedly, not actively trying to frighten. However, out of my periphery, I noticed a white blur race across the floor and towards her desk. With a flick of my wrist, I sent a dagger tearing into the ground, right in front of the rodent. The mouse cried out in surprise and did a full U-turn, flying towards the old man at the desk.

When everyone threw me a shocked look, I simply shrugged, feeling the hilt of the dagger fly back into my hand. "What? You have a rodent problem. I was simply trying to lessen the infestation."

The old man at the desk squawked. "There is no infestation, I assure you! This is simply my familiar, Mótsognir." He sighed and continued speaking, though it was directed to Louise, "I'm sure you're wondering why you were brought here, Miss Vallière."

Louise stood up a little more straight and said, "Whatever it is, Old Osmond, I am honored you chose me." I gave her a perplexed look from behind, arching an eyebrow at the young girl in front of me.

Old Osmond nodded and gestured to Colbert. The teacher nodded and continued, "As you know, Miss Vallière, the princess of Tristain is coming to our school for the Familiar Exhibition and we are pooling all of our resources in order to ensure her safety."

Louise nodded, "Of course, I would expect no less."

Colbert smiled lightly, "Yes, but there is a small snag that we must deal with before she arrives. Our treasury is currently holding two icons of Tristain and they are in danger of theft." Colbert paused and I couldn't help but notice him look towards me, then back to Louise. "There are rumors of a thief named Fouquet of the Crumbling Dirt is capable of breaking into noble's homes and stealing expensive artifacts."

I snorted, unable to hide a smug smirk. "So, you're scared a little thief will break into your treasury and steal your fancy trinkets?" Shaking my head, I crossed my arms. "It doesn't matter how many protections you have; any practiced thief worth their salt can break into anywhere they please. All it takes is a little know-how and patience."

Louise scowled, glaring at me over her shoulder.

Colbert, however, simply smiled. "I see, so you would know how a thief would think?"

"I have to; a major part of my duty was knowing the ins and outs of mundane and magical traps; that led me to figuring out how to work passed wards and shields. I have just one question, though."

Old Osmond cut in at this point. "What would that be, Mr. Familiar?"

"What are you trying to protect? If my suspicions are true, then you brought Louise up here to get my expertise. For me to work as best as I can, I need to know what's inside the vault; so I can gauge how the wards will fare against a practiced assault." I crossed my arms and waited for his response.

Old Osmond cleared his throat, "The contents of the treasury are several objects of low importance, but there are two in particular that must be protected at all costs. They are the Staff of Destruction and a Blade of Ruin."

I arched an eyebrow at him. I had some template for what he was talking about, but the closest thing that came to mind when he said 'Staff of Destruction' was Staff of the Magi. Now _that_ was a particular type of artifact I had a colorful past with; considering the sheer power that thing had would give even me some pause.

Then there's the 'Blade of Ruin'. It must be some sort iconic sword or spear that lends itself as a symbol of an old hero or a religious relic. I honestly see no point in enshrining a weapon; it's primarily a tool to be used to protect and end lives, mostly end, so there's no real reason put it somewhere it's only going to rust. Regardless, Louise wanted to help out her school and as her 'Familiar' I have a similar, of much more easily ignorable, obligation to do the same.

Rubbing my chin in slight thought, I pursed my lips and hummed lightly. "I see. With names such as those, I can understand why you'd want to protect them from a potential thief." Motioning outside the door, I said, "Lead the way. I've yet to see the rest of the academy, so a tour will be very helpful."

Old Osmond smiled lightly and nodded towards the woman at the second desk. "Miss Longueville, would be so kind as to escort Miss Vallière and her to the vault. There are things I need to speak with Professor Colbert about."

She stood from her desk and bowed her head, "At once, Headmaster." Turning to face the two of us, Miss Longueville motioned for us to follow. "If you would follow me, please."

I smiled good-naturedly, "It would be my pleasure."

A small flush appeared on her face, but she quickly turned away from me, leading us out of the room.

I couldn't help but smirk to myself, _I've still got it..._

Louise rolled her eyes at me and followed after her, with me in suit. As I followed her out and shut the door, I couldn't help but overhear a single phrase.

"Those runes on his hand are of the Gandalfr..."

That caused a slight pause in me. "Gandalfr?" I whispered to myself in confusion. The word sounded alien to me, even with Louise's explosive translation spell still operating. As much as I hated it, in order to find out what this means, I may have to step out of my comfort zone and do a little research. I only hope my attention span can remain focused.

Seeing the other two getting ahead, I hurried to catch up with them, still keeping silent. Miss Longueville lead us through the corridors of the tower as she spoke up, "I must say, I was a little surprised at your throw, Mr. Familiar."

"Please, call me Lyall. 'Mr. Familiar' just feels so demeaning." I said smoothly.

The Headmaster's assistant simply smiled, "Okay, Lyall, as I was saying, I have to thank you. He has been using that Familiar of his to sneak peeks up my robes since I first started."

Louise gasped, "The Headmaster? That doesn't seem like something someone of his stature would do."

I snorted at her comical naiveté. "It's normally the people who are high up with nothing to do that have the quirks. Though, I have to admit that a perverted old man is a little cliché."

Miss Longueville shook her head, "I would've thought so too, but that's the truth of the matter."

I placed a hand on Louise's head and said, "Enjoy your naiveté while it lasts, Louise. Because one of these days you'll have to see the world for what it really is: one giant death trap that continues to throw obstacle after obstacle at you. The only thing you can really do is grit your teeth and hold your ground."

The secretary gave me a sideways look. In that moment, I saw something in her eyes that set off alarms in my head. The look was masked and dark, with a hint of understanding. It was as if she knew what I was saying and silently agreed. However, the fact that she was able to seemingly empathize with what I said told me more than enough in regard to what kind of person she was.

"Then how do you deal with it, Lyall." Louise cut in, removing my hand from her head and fixing her hair. "From what I've seen, you're not the type to sit down and take anything."

Not taking my eyes off Longueville, I allowed a small smirk to accompany my answer. "I've paid my dues and made my improvements. I'm too good to be caught by a trap and too experienced to miss one. You could say I've seen and lived through pretty much all of it."

"Really, now?" Miss Longueville continued to lead us, but I could tell she knew that I was examining her. "That seems to be a bit farfetched; you look so young, so it's difficult to believe that you've seen as much as you claim."

I shook my head, "War has quite the high learning curve. If you can reach it, then you're gold. Fail it, though, and you won't last very long. I learned that the hard way." I couldn't help but look back and remember a certain psychotic arcanist whose actions led to my decision to take up the mantle of 'mage hunter'.

It was at that moment that we reached our destination. Miss Longueville stopped and gestured towards a rather tall door. The overall lighting was dim with the flickering firelight. No doubt, it would take a few moments for Louise's and Miss Longueville's eyes to adjust, but I was perfectly fine. "This is the entrance to vault that Old Osmond was speaking about."

I approached it and examined the door. Placing a hand on the door, I pushed slightly and felt magical resistance coupled with the overall mass of the door preventing me from moving it. Scanning the door, I gently dragged my hand across the door, feeling the magical enchantments. Closing my eyes, I whispered under my breath and reopened them. Using a skill I mastered over the course of my Occult Slayer training, I activate a second sight of sorts that allowed me to see the aura of any magical enchantments, simply called Aura Vision.

I was instantly greeted by layer upon layer upon layer of magical enchantments represented as a rainbow of colors swirling into one cohesive whole. It seemed that each enchantment relied on each other to strengthen one another. Examining the magic as a whole, I tried to think of how I would break through. First of all, I'd ask Auren if he could dispel it, but I was on my own, so I had to think on what _I_ could do. Drawing upon my own personal knowledge of magic, primarily arcane, I was able to surmise that they were primarily wards that would make it difficult to actually hit, or destroy, the door and its surrounding frame and wall. The lock on the door would be a piece of cake. One could either pick it or simply smash it off of the door. The real issue would be to figure out the next obstacle.

However, the wards around the vault were simplistic, too simplistic to actually work. There were no contingency wards that would activate if the first layer were breached. Nothing that would cause any potential thief too much issue if they knew what to expect. Then again, I'm thinking about this from the perspective of someone who lives in a world where magic can be learned by anyone, not just by those who carried it in their blood. This was a world where the mages were nobles and nobles don't normally steal from other nobles, illegally anyway. Wards like these would stop a commoner, clearly, but a noble with knowledge of how to break wards could carve through this with ease.

"You look disappointed. What's wrong with the defenses?" Miss Longueville's words pulled me from my thoughts.

"Nothing, technically." I closed my eyes, turning off my Aura Vision. I released a small sigh, "For one, they're frighteningly simple, especially if I can figure them out as quickly as this. If it were my friend Auren, he'd know them the instant he looked at the door."

"Okay. Then how do they work?" The secretary prodded.

I gave her well-veiled suspicious look, masking it as a simple gaze. She seems awfully curious about the wards protecting the vault; that fact alone caused the alarms in my head to go off. "The wards are rather straightforward in their function. They're simply a set of magical walls stacked on top of one another, protecting from physical assaults. However, that's all there is; there are no built-in alarm systems to warn others." I placed a hand on the door. "These will keep an army of commoners out easy, but a single mage who's knowledgeable about the wards inner working would be able to break them easily."

"These are treasures entrusted to Tristain Magical Academy by the throne. What noble in their right mind would go against them?" Louise stated factually, but I could see her piecing things together. I couldn't help but smirk when I realized that she was beginning to trust my word.

"So, it's impossible to break in by brute force alone?" Miss Longueville asked me innocently.

Once again, alarms went off in my head, warning me of her seemingly 'innocent' questions. This isn't me being paranoid; my skills as an infiltrator were being prodded by the interactions I've had with the Headmaster's secretary. She was perfectly following every rule in the unwritten book of hiding in plain sight. Being patient when scouting out an area. Staying close to your enemy, keeping tabs on their activities. Soaking up any and all information laid out in front of you and gingerly prodding for more. To someone who doesn't know what to look for or isn't paying attention, it's frighteningly easy to miss the tells.

Fortunately, I'm one of the best when it comes to sneaking my way into enemy territory and reading people. This woman was hitting every nail on the head with her act. She was hiding something, I knew this without a doubt. The question was: what is it that she's trying to hide?

"For someone who lacks the proper skill? Yes, it's impossible." I stated truthfully, keeping my suspicion well-hidden.

Miss Longueville released a relieved breath. "Well, that's good. Now we don't need to worry as much about it." She cleared her throat and strode passed me. Addressing Louise, she said, "I believe it's time we head back Miss Vallière. The princess is going to arrive soon."

"Ah, yes, yes. We should hurry. I really don't want to miss that." She gave me a questioning look.

I nodded, "Yeah, let's go." As the three of us headed back down the stairs, I looked over my shoulder back at the door to the vault. The one thing I didn't voice in regards to the vault was something so simple, so easy to catch, but I allowed it to go unnoticed.

If the vault housed such valuable items, then why wouldn't it have guards, regardless of enchantment?

* * *

I stood at Louise's side, amongst the mob of students that watched the arrival of the princess of Tristain. I crossed my arms and watched the entourage of guards strode forward, leading a single carriage. Out of reflex alone, I felt my eyes instantly going to the soldiers, gauging their skills by simply watching them move. It's not a foolproof skill, but if you have enough experience and know how the body works, then it'll serve it's purpose.

Confident, proud and strong. That was the clear as day vibe I got from each of them. They walked with pure confidence, their heads held high and shoulders squared. Their gaits were long and purposeful, striding with a force across the academy's walkway. They looked straight ahead, but I could tell that they wouldn't ignore their periphery. However, they lacked grace, poise and finesse; things that I happen to pride on the battlefield. Raw, overwhelming strength is fine and dandy, but there's something much more fulfilling with dancing across the corpse strewn theatre of war and making fools of your enemies.

Then again, that's just me and my twisted sense of humor. Go figure.

I heard Louise gasp in delight as the carriage passed by us. Looking down to my small companion, I was able to see a look of pure joy as she gazed upon her princess. Her eyes were wide and open, watching the carriage with a frightening scrutiny; her mouth slightly agape but curved upwards into a wide smile. I could tell she was restraining herself, as if trying to keep herself from leaping upwards in ecstasy.

I snorted and looked towards the carriage, trying to catch a glimpse of the princess of Tristain and see if she really was up to the incredible description I've heard from everyone here. My eyes caught sight of the carriage's window and were able to see into them. A small smirk appeared on my face when I caught a look of the famous princess Henrietta of Tristain. She sat upright in the carriage, speaking to another. Her hair was a shining purple, falling to just above her shoulder. Bright blue eyes twinkled as she smiled at her fellow passenger. Atop her head was a crown of white and three blue gems, resting as though it's always been there. I could not get a good look at what she was wearing, but that again, I wasn't trying. Louise asked that I do not 'work my charm', so that I meant I wouldn't look to closely.

After a few moments of the crowd watching the carriage drive by, the mob surrounding the pathway slowly began to break apart, whispering to one another about the princess and how they were going to win the exhibition. I shook my head and followed my young Master, staying at her side as she walked through the school yard.

"So, what's on the schedule today, Louise?" I asked her absently.

"We're going to find a secluded place for you to practice your exhibition. I will not allow you to embarrass me in front of the princess!" She said without hesitation, speaking with authority.

Well, it would've been authoritative were her Familiar anyone else but me. It's kind of difficult to make me do something I don't want to do. "Really now? I assure you that I will not embarrass you, Loui-."

"Or scare her with your skill for sharp pointy objects." She cut me off.

I paused, blinked once, and looked down to her with a pout. "You know, you're really starting to get on my nerves with that." Releasing a breath, I allowed her to lead us through the academy's grounds, bypassing everyone else as she walked quickly. Within a few moments, the two of us reached a small clearing surrounded a copse of trees, with a few bushes sprinkled around, seemingly just for good measure. I strode out to the center of it, looking around slowly. Turning gradually, I took in the overall area before finally looking to Louise. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

She crossed her arms and said, "Of course. I want to make a good impression."

I smirked, "You're talking about her an awful lot. Are you sure you don't have a crush on her?" I cooed playfully, prodding her with a little good-natured teasing.

Louise's face flushed heavily, "What?! No, I don't! I just look up to her is all!" She cried out, stomping her foot as she glared at me.

Lifting a hand, I tried to placate her. "Calm down. I was just messing with you." I sucked in a breath and reached up to my sword and Derf, unsheathing the both of them.

"What're planning on doing partner?" The talking sword said as I flipped it in my grasp.

Stabbing both into the ground, I rolled my shoulders and said, "Just a little show of my dexterity. It seems my dagger throwing will just scare the little lambs occupying the seats." I gave Louise a playful glare. Releasing a breath, I adjusted the position of my first sword, solidifying it's position in the ground.

"Wha-" Louise was about to ask me, again, but I cut her off by jumping straight up, planting my foot on the hilt of my sword. Shooting myself into the air, I flipped forward and twisted my body like a corkscrew. During my descent, I threw out a leg, kicking the air. Upon reaching the earth, my foot slammed into the ground and I bent my leg. Springing back, I threw out my second foot, striking another imaginary foe in the chin. My cloak fell to the whims of gravity, concealing my arms and hands as they reached for my swords. My hands wrapped around the hilts of my swords and wrenched them from the dirt, making it appear as I made them vanish with a flurry of my cloak. While still in the air, a spare foot and a half from the ground, I rotated my body to plant my feet firmly on the ground. My cloak fell with almost a theatrical flourish as I brandished my two blades. Releasing a small breath, I lunged forward and slashed with my swords, aiming high, then followed up with a upper-cutting slash originating from below. Moving with an over exaggerated style, I allowed my body to flow like a river into move after move. Spinning with a flourish, I ducked down and threw out a foot, sweeping the legs out from under an imaginary opponent. Continuing the sweeping motion, I rose into a second kick, this time aiming near the midsection. Jumping to keep the rotating motion, I threw out another kick to attack the head. Ending with a plant of my feet, I casually spun both swords in my grip, tossing Derf into the air.

"Oy, partner!" The sword cried out in shock as he ascended into the air, hilt over blade.

I felt a smile come onto my face as I closed my eyes and tossed my other sword into the air after him. With my hands empty, I clenched them into fists and continued my theatrical assault on the imaginary enemy. I threw a fist forward slid my foot forward. Pulling it back, I spun again and threw another kick, following up with a second sudden kick. Jumping only slightly off the ground, I unleashed a small barrage of kicks that flowed effortlessly with every breath I took. Upon hitting the ground, I closed my eyes and listened for the whistling of steel carving through the air. Smiling at the familiar sound, I stood still and waited, only listening for the approaching deadly weapon. Waiting a few moments, I quickly turned and threw my hand out, already grasping my hand. I felt the blade fly by my hand as I closed it around Derf's hilt at the perfect moment.

Twisting, I whipped out my foot and kicked the flat of the blade of the second sword as it descended at an alarming rate. The sword spun dangerously, leaving it as nothing but a spinning black blur that promised only death. Pulling back my free hand, I threw it forward and into the black blur. My hand clasped onto the hilt of my adamantine sword and held it firm. Flipping it in my grasp, I sheathed it and took of hold of Derf's hilt with both hands, setting myself in a firm stance. Releasing a breath, I allowed a small smile to appear on my face as I said, "Finished."

Louise was completely frozen in shock, her eyes wide enough so that the sclera was completely visible. One of her arms had completely fallen to her side while her other was completely outstretched and pointing towards me. Her mouth opened and closed as she clearly tried to formulate her words.

I relaxed my stance and sheathed Derf.

"Partner, can you do me one favor?" The sword sounded awfully serious.

"Sure, Derf. What is it?"

"Never do that again. A sword was never meant to be thrown."

I let out a small laugh, "Sure Derf. I had no idea you would feel that way about being thrown." I looked to Louise and waited for her to say something, anything, but she simply stood there, imitating a fish out of water.

"I think you broke her partner."

"Yeah, I think so, too." I strode over to her and waved a hand in front of her face. That snapped her out of her stupor, causing her to take a step back in surprise.

She cleared her throat and asked me a single question. "What in the world was that?"

I smirked and crossed my arms, "Over a decade's worth of combat experience, perfecting my personal fighting style and strengthening my body's dexterity. Where some people value overwhelming strength, I value speed and opportunity." Taking a step to the side, I allowed a large grin to appear on my face. "You'll win this talent show, Louise, simply by way of my utilizing skills anyone can learn. I'll show everyone that a commoner can be just as good as, if not better than, any noble."

* * *

That night, I was sitting at Louise's table, cleaning my swords, when I heard a hurried knock on the door. I looked up to her, while she was reading through one of her school book, to the door, then back to her. Then I shrugged and went back to cleaning my sword, gently but firmly sliding the cloth along the blade.

Another knock sounded.

I just sat there, still cleaning my blade.

Louise cleared her throat.

I continued to clean my sword.

Louise cleared her throat again.

I was still cleaning my blade when a third set of knocks sounded.

Louise cleared her throat for the third time.

"Do you need me to get you something? That cough sounds really bad." I said to her, a small grin on my face.

Louise released a frustrated groan and placed her book on the table, walking to the door. I met her soft glare with a grin of my own as she approached her door, opening it to answer the knock.

"Yes?" She asked, but the person on the other side of it quickly rushed inside, trying to get behind her.

Well, she would have if I weren't in there. I was on my feet in an instant, and at the person's side almost as quickly. Taking a firm hold of her arm, I heard a shocked gasp escape from them. It sounded oddly...feminine.

"You seem to be in a hurry, stranger. I can't help but wonder what you're up to, consider how you're dressed and sneaking around this late. Doing a shoddy job of sneaking too, I heard you coming ever since you stepped into the hallway." I lifted my free hand and hooked two fingers on the edge of the hood. "Let's see who you are."

I yanked back the hood and was greeted by a head of bright purple hair.

Purple hair.

There was one person I had seen who had hair as purple as this.

You have got to shitting me...

"Princess!" Louise cried out. Her eyes instantly shot towards the hand I had clasped onto her arm. "Familiar, release the Princess now!"

I quickly did so, not because she said so, but due to a habit of respecting royalty. Not because they were royalty, but because the royalty I knew back home were one of the few people you don't mess with even on your best day. Walking back to my seat, I grabbed my sword and resumed cleaning the blade.

"Princess Henrietta, I'm so sorry for my Familiar's actions! He doesn't know how to listen." She threw a glare towards me.

Henrietta smiled softly and shook her head. "It's quite alright, Louise Francoise. He was well within his rights to act the way he did. He was just trying to protect you."

I blinked at that and felt a smug smile appear on my face as I looked to Louise. "You heard the Princess, Louise. I'm just doing my job." Turning back to Henrietta, I bowed my head and said, "Well met, Princess. I'm Lyall."

The Princess smiled again. "Nice to meet you as well, Mr. Lyall. I'm glad to know that Louise has someone like you to protect her."

I can see why she's loved as much as Louise claims. I've just met her and I'm able to tell that Henrietta has a natural charisma, an ability to draw people towards her. Then there's that smile; it's so unassuming, so kind and...alive. She's someone I'll have to look out, if not for Louise, then just to make sure this world doesn't lose her.

"It's nothing to be ecstatic about. I'm doing my duty as the one she summoned. I wouldn't be the man I claim to be if I didn't. Also, just Lyall will do. I'm not that old, yet." I smiled lightly.

Louise turned to Henrietta, "Princess, not that I'm disappointed you came to see me, but why would you sneak away from your guard?"

That caught my attention. A princess sneaking away from her guard? Really? Frankly, I'm a bit disappointed ins aid guard. If they were chosen to protect the princess of a country, then they had to be the best and most trusted. I'm not doubting anyone's magical prowess, but allowing royalty to sneak away is a rookie mistake. It seems I may have to have a chat with them about their jobs...

"I just had to see you, Louise Francoise! It has been so long since we last saw one another, I began to miss my childhood friend."

"I simply had the honor of being your playmate, Princess. I wouldn't go as far to say 'childhood friend'..."

The two went on for a few moments longer, speaking quickly of a past experience and exchanging pleasantries. I pushed their voices out of my head; what they spoke of was none of my business and had nothing to do with my duty to protect Louise, so I had no need to listen in on them. Instead, I opted to caress the blade of my sword with the cloth, cleaning it as thoroughly as I could.

After a few short moments, Henrietta made it clear that she had to head back. "I look forward to your exhibition tomorrow, Lyall. It's not everyday a noble summons a human." The princess said sweetly.

I stood at the door, about to open it. "I look forward to taking part. Someone has to show that you don't need magic to be strong. I'm the best man for the job." I grinned confidently.

Henrietta laughed lightly, "Of course." She lifted her head and said, "I'm ready."

"Be quiet and patient. You can't rush stealth. It's an art just as much as magic." I opened the door quickly, allowing her to rush out. The instant I saw her cloak vanish around the door, I shut it silently. Leaning against it, I crossed my arms and smirked at Louise. "You didn't tell me you were Princess Henrietta's 'royal playmate'."

Louise flushed, "It wasn't pertinent to anything we've spoke about lately. So I didn't feel the need to say anything..." She looked away from me, pouting heavily.

I laughed lightly, walking away from the door. "You really care about her, don't you?"

"Of course! She's the princess!"

I shook my head, "That's not what I meant. You care about her, as family." It wasn't so much a question, but a fact that I simply stated.

Louise paused, chewing her lip. "Yeah... I guess."

I walked over to her and placed a hand on her head. "That's great. Cherish that bond, Louise, and cherish the person who shares it with you. As someone who's never really had anyone growing up, I can't explain to you how important bonds like that are." Lifting my hand, I yawned heavily and shook my head. "On that note, I need to hibernate for the night. It's been a rather busy day and tomorrow makes it look like a walk in the park. Sleep well."

"You too..." Louise said as she got ready for bed.

* * *

"We need more on that tray! The guards and students are getting hungry. Siesta, prepare to take it over." Marteau said quickly as everyone in the kitchens scrambled around to prepare everything.

I took a quick step back as one of the assistants raced by me. "Um, did I come at a bad time?" I asked the young maid.

Siesta looked up to me with wide eyes. "Lyall! You're here! Don't you have the exhibition?" She hurried up to me.

"Yeah, but it's not for a little while. I already know what I'm doing so I decided to use my free time to help out if I can." I explained with a shrug. Truthfully, I felt more at home away from all the stuffy nobility and needed to be around people whom I could actually empathize with. Which is what lead me to the kitchens.

Siesta smiled for a moment, then quickly shook her head, "No. You shouldn't be here. It's our job to get everything ready! you need to stay prepared for your moment. You have to win the exhibition."

I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, I've got this." Looking to the side, I pulled her against me to help her evade another oncoming assistant. "It's...hectic in here, isn't it?" I said in deadpan.

Siesta froze in my grasp, a small gasp sounding when I pulled her out of the way. After a moment, I let her go, to which I saw a quick look of disappointment, before she brushed out her uniform and crossed her arms. "Yes, it is. Which is why you need to get back to practicing. We can handle it from here."

When I opened my mouth to reply, Marteau cut in, "C'mon, Siesta, let Blade help where he wants. After all, I'm sure you could use the help."

"But, sir-"

I grabbed her by the hands and gave her a theatrical pout, looking into her eyes with a gaze reminiscent of puppy's default stare. "Pretty please, Siesta. I'll be good."

Siesta bit her lip, as if trying to fight it. However, she buckled with a small smile. "Okay, Lyall. But I want you to get back to Miss Vallière before your part arrives."

I gave a triumphant grin and said, "Don't worry, I will."

With that, the race to supply the tables for the post-exhibition feast was on; the help and I moved quickly through the courtyard, supplying the food and drink with frightening efficiency. There was a near mishap here and there, where people nearly dropped their tray, but I was able to save the day by catching the tray's at the very last moment. Stacking the tables with expensive cuisine, I placed a plate here and there while one of the other maids adjusted them to their proper places.

In the end, everything was finished in record time and Siesta was quickly shooing me away. "Hurry, Lyall, it's nearly time!"

"I know, I know, but can I get something for the road? Smelling all of that food really made my appetite." I softly pleaded her, placing my hands together.

Siesta released a breath and smiled lightly, "Fine." She retreated back into the kitchen and came out with a half loaf of bread. "Here. It's all we can spare."

I took it and thanked her. Heading off, I waved to her and yelled, "I expect to see you in the crowd! So be there!" With that, I turned and raced through the courtyard.

Unfortunately, as I finished off the bread, I felt a faint rumbling in the earth. Coming to a stop, I closed my eyes and waited, trying to pinpoint the source of the rumbling. It shook again, subtly, and I turned slowly. Another rumble lead me to opening my eyes and staring at the protective wall of the academy.

"What is it, partner?" Derf poked up out of the sheathe lightly.

"We've got company." I simply stated, watching the wall.

I waited, lifting my hand towards a sword. My eyes remain locked on the top of the wall as the ground rumbled more and more. Grasping the hilt of my black sword, I unsheathed it slowly, listening to the rumble of the earth and waiting for source to finally reach me.

When _it_ finally appeared, I nearly dropped my sword I was so surprised. It was larger than any enemy I have ever seen to date, save for a dragon or two, standing nearly as tall as the academy's tallest tower. It was comprised of solely rock and moved stiffly, climbing effortlessly over the academy wall. The large foot crashed onto the earth, almost shaking the entirety of the school grounds.

"This is incredibly unfair." I muttered under my breath. "That fucking thing is larger than most iron golems!" Narrowing my eyes, I reached up to Derf and pulled the sword out its sheathe. "Tell me, Derf, can you cut through several tons of compressed rock?"

The sword chuckled, "Can I cut through tons of compressed rock? Can _I_, the great Derflinger, cut through several tons of compressed rock? Ha!" He paused, as if stuck in thought. "_Can _I cut through several tons of compressed rock?"

I snorted, "Looks like we're about to see." I crouched and pushed al of my strength in my legs. Rocketing forward, I moved faster than I ever thought I could. The power from before surging through my body, strengthening me to ridiculous proportions. As I raced towards it, it seemed to have taken notice of me and threw it's large cumbersome fist in the direction. I leapt upwards, easily outstripping it in distance traveled, and slashed as I ascended.

My two swords carved through the rock as easily as though I was cutting paper. Twisting mid air, I landed on the handless arm and got into a crouch. My eyes moved quickly of the limb and spotted an individual standing near the head. A small smirk appeared on my face as I shot forward, racing of the arm.

The cloaked individual saw me coming and pointed their wand at me, sending columns of rock shooting out of its golem's arm, in the hopes that one would hit me.

I evaded them effortlessly, sidestepping, hopping over and simply destroying one with a slash of my sword.

Upon reaching the individual, I came to a stop. This action half-contradicted my intentions, while following my primary prerogative: information gathering. I needed to know what this person was doing and why, so I could figure what to do in order to stop them, if I didn't want to kill them.

"I take it you're the infamous Fouquet." I stated simply, already putting the pieces together.

Fouquet, an individual clad in a long green cloak with the hood up and obscuring his, or her, face, paused and took a slow step back.

"Yes."

* * *

**-Louise-**

"Where is that Familiar? It's nearly our turn!" I paced back and forth, looking around the crowd for him. He said he'd be back after offering to help that maid. I clenched my fist, hoping he wasn't skipping the exhibition play around with her.

"Vallière, where's Darling? I was hoping to wish him luck before your turn." Kirche approached me, her salamander trailing behind her.

I crossed my arms, trying in vain not to glare at her. "He's not here."

Kirche pouted, "Oh, that's a shame. Do you know where he is?"

"Last I heard, he was helping out that maid..."

Kirche crossed her arms with a small pout, "Darling is always so sweet on that girl. Sometimes, I wonder if he and her have gone all of the way yet?"

At that, I felt my eyebrow twitch. Frankly, I don't care if Lyall does anything with that maid. He's his own person and I can tell he won't like it if I tried to force him to do something. Regardless of that, he was playing around with that maid when he as supposed to be doing the exhibition.

"Give me a moment, Zerbst. I'm going to get my Familiar." I turned and stomped away from the stage, moving into the courtyard to search for my Familiar.

However, as I stepped into the courtyard, it felt like a passed through...some sort of barrier. Shaking my head, I continued walking across the courtyard. Unfortunately, I nearly stumbled as I felt a giant rumble resound from across the field. When I regained my balance, I took off in a run towards the source. Moving as quickly as I could, I began to see what looked like a walking boulder stepping back and forth. It swayed unnervingly, as if lacking coordination or it's master was losing focus.

I finally turned the corner to see it: a giant rock golem that swayed out of control, swiping at the air. Why would it be here? What reason could it be...?

"Fouquet!" I whispered to myself, finally realizing it.

I looked around quickly, chewing my lip as I searched for my Familiar. He was supposed to protect me, so where was he when I've now decided to fight?

"Stay still, dammit; and stop with the walls!" I heard a familiar voice cry out in frustration.

Looking to the source, I saw a black blur atop the golem, tearing through a small horde of rock beasts. He moved quickly, almost inhumanly so, and tore through his opponents. Narrowing my eyes, I tried to see more clearly what was on top of the golem. There was a second person, who was holding a want up and calling up more and more smaller golems.

Pulling out my wand, I pointed it towards them. I still wasn't confident enough to believe I could actually use magic without it blowing up in my face, but Lyall believed in me. He believed that I had potential, else I couldn't do these explosions.

_You couldn't catch me..._

I could cast a spell up there. It may put Lyall in danger, but he himself said that I couldn't hit him with my spells. I nodded and sucked in a breath, steeling myself. I'll have to trust him. Hopefully, he can trust me...

I began my chant, gathering my willpower. The words flowed freely from my mouth as I focused on the group of smaller rock golems assaulting my Familiar. My hand clenched the wand tightly as I hoped against hope that my attempt worked. Feeling the crescendo of my chant reach its peak, I sucked in a breath and cried out, "Fireball!"

Lyall froze the moment I cast my spell. His head swiveled towards me and I could easily see him widen his eyes. He looked to the group in front of him and bent his legs, crouching. Then he jumped back, though it looked a black bur skidding across the giant golem's shoulder. The three smaller golems tried to follow him, but they were quickly caught in the explosion of my attempt at a fireball.

When the smoke cleared, there was nothing left. Even remnants of larger golem's shoulder was erased from existence.

I felt a smile tug at my lips. I did something right! For once, I actually did something that mirrored my intentions. I _can_ do magic!

"Louise! Get out of here! Now!" Lyall's voice cried out, yanking my attention from my internal celebration. I turned my head to the side, only to see a giant earthen fist barreling towards me.

My legs froze as I watched the clenched fist quickly approaching me. My throat suddenly went dry and my eyes began to tear. My wand hand shook violently. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. Fear had a hold over me and I couldn't get away.

Just when I did something right...

Am I going to die?

I don't want to die yet...

Someone, please...

Please...

Anyone...

Help...

My legs gave out and I dropped...

But my knees never hit the ground. I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist and firmly, but gently, pull me out of the way of the fist. I felt my eyes widen as I black cloak flew outwards, obscuring my vision for a second. Looking down, I saw a pair of dark blue greaves with a grey finish siding across the grass. Another hand was thrown out and pressed onto the ground, slowing our acceleration along the ground.

When we came to a stop, I looked up to see my savior. I already knew who it was; it was a no-brainer, but I still had to see him. The lower half of his face was covered with the mask. Before, when he would wear that mask, I couldn't help but see how ridiculous it looked. But now, now that I see him doing what he was brought here to do, I can see that it fits him perfectly. Those intense grey eyes, focused solely on their opponent, were smoldering with hidden emotion. He didn't blink; he didn't twitch; he didn't even look like he was breathing. Lyall didn't look like a normal person at that point. But...that didn't mater to me at that point. I know who is now.

He's my protector, my shield, my shadow. The alpha wolf who protects his pack when it's threatened.

"Are you okay?" His soft voice broke into my stupefied silence.

I blinked once and looked down in embarrassment. "Ah, yes..."

He set me down onto my feet and took a step forward, placing himself between me and the golem. "When I attack, I need you to make a run for it." He told me as he reached for one of his swords.

I blinked at that and shook my head, "No. I will not run. A noble does not allow her Familiar to fight alo-"

"You're not ready." Lyall cut me off, his voice soft. I froze, not understanding what he meant. "I'm all for letting you learn by experience, but you can't learn if you die or are too injured to continue. This is where you go get help."

I clenched my fist and shake my head, "No! I'm not going to leave you alone. The golem will kill you!"

He snorted, "Before, maybe. But now?" He lifted his left hand and scrutinized it. "Now, I'm damn sure that this thing will fall. These runes are something else entirely." He laughed lightly, "I was good before, almost a master swordsman. With these runes, though, I think I'm even better than that." He crouched and drew his swords.

"Regardless of that, I'm not leaving you to fight alone." I lifted my wand and pointed it at the golem.

Lyall shook his head. "You're more like Auren than I thought. You sure you aren't related to the guy." He gave me a short a look and shook his head. "Nope. No way. He doesn't do cute." He released a breath. "Fine. If you want to fight, I won't stop you. Just aim center mass and keep moving. You're small, Shorty, and that thing's big. It'll be damn near impossible for it to hit a moving target."

I felt my eyebrow twitch at his nickname for me, but said nothing. "Okay, I'll try."

"Don't try." He said harshly. "_Do_ it. There is no second chance for this. Understand?" When I nodded, Lyall grinned. "I'm counting on you, Shorty. So don't let me down!" He threw his arms to the sides, tossing his cloak into the air. "You ready for another round, Derf!"

"Let's go, partner!" The sword cried out in response as Lyall surged forward, charging the golem head on.

Here we go. Let's see how well this goes...


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Familiar of Zero, only the D&D character that causes mayhem and discord.

**A/N:** _Writer's block. I've been locked in a battle of attrition with writer's block. _

_Now that that's out of the way, let me just say that I'll be making a few drastic changes from the original. People who are meant to go on a run, will join Lyall's side; infamy will be developed sooner. While I was unable to do any writing, I have been doing some brainstorming._

_Some plot points have been cemented and others kicked out. Also, I'm taking liberties with certain things from the DnD-verse; nothing too drastic, just stuff to help with description and narration._

_Anyway, as I've said before, read/review/enjoy._

**The Alpha of Zero**

Chapter Five

A Learning Experience

**-Lyall-**

I raced forward, leaping over a swipe of a fist. Weaving along the side, I moved too quickly for Fouquet to confidently aim for me; yet at the same time, I made myself enough of a nuisance to keep the pressure off of Louise. I'm not guessing at that, I know for a fact that this person was focusing solely on me. In combat, I'm the smoke screen; it's what I was trained to do. Striking the blind spots of an opponent to draw their attention from the real heavy hitters.

As inexperienced as she was, Louise does have the potential to cause the brunt of the damage against this monstrosity. That 'fireball' she did shook me to the core. I've never felt such dread against a spell or trap as I did against that spell. It didn't 'burn' anything, it flat out disintegrated everything in its radius! That's a spell that's definitely going to keep me on my toes.

Crouching, I pushed as much strength into my lower body as I could. Jumping up quickly, I launched myself into the air and land on the golem's hand.

"Fireball!"

Upon hearing Louise's cry, I raced forward and watched as a giant crater made its home in the golem's chest. Feeling a smirk grow on my face, I raced up the arm and tried to introduce Fouquet to one of my swords.

He or she leapt back, waving his or her wand. Two more, person sized golems appeared and charged towards me. As the two of them charged me, I couldn't help but notice the larger golem cease its movements at the same I heard a ragged gasp come from Fouquet.

"Looks like someone is running out of juice." I said mockingly, just loud enough for the thief to hear.

The smaller golems charged towards me, swinging wide with their solid fists. I slid my foot forward and leaned back and to the side, dodging the strike with practiced ease. Another strike followed, aiming low. I stepped up and onto the fist, climbing up the six foot monstrosity and flipped behind it. Twisting my body, I flicked my wrist, gouging my adamantine blade into one of the golems' backs. The blade, backed by my enhanced strength, tore from side to side with a sound resembling an avalanche. Slashing all the way through, I spun and separated it's top from it's bottom with a finishing slash from Derf. The top of the golem fell backwards and towards me. I jumped up and spun with a flourish, slamming my foot into the falling upper body. With a grunt, I sent it careening off the edge and onto the earth below.

The second golem turned to meet me the moment I finished with the first.

Planting my feet firmly, I let out a small laugh and lifted a hand, beckoning it with a curve of two fingers. The golem charged forward and swiped at me. I simply ducked to the side, evading it by the skin of my teeth. Smirking to myself, I watched it pulled back and throw another punch. Slowly but surely, it began to build up momentum and throw more and more punches, moving just a little faster each time. I yawned as I effortlessly evaded every strike, as though I was moving in perfect sync with the rock golem.

With one final dodge, I dropped to my knees and stabbed my adamantine sword into the larger golem. Using it as a fulcrum, I pushed myself violently to the side, spin around in a circle. Slashing as I spun, I removed the golem's legs. On the return trip around, I slammed my heels into the larger golem, cracking it heavily, and tore my sword free from the earth. Slashing with all of my might, I shattered the golem with the sheer force.

The power of the runes were flooding my body with a surprising amount of strength, augmenting my already impressive agility and adding onto my already above average strength. The sheer rush it was giving me was enough to make me a little giddy. Though I had to hold back the giggles, I was actually maneuvering much better than I could ever hope to do on my own, even on my best day. Even with all of the activity I was doing, my breathing was still perfectly even. With this power, I'm sure I could go even longer at this pace.

Sadly, the same could not be said for Louise, who's voice gave out at the end of her spell.

"Fireba- ...ball!" I felt the golem take a step back as another section of its chest was obliterated.

Looking to Fouquet, I lifted my sword and pointed it to her. "I'll give you one chance, Fouquet. Surrender and I'll speak on your behalf when it comes time to dispense your punishment."

The would-be thief stiffened, actually caught off guard by my statement. He or she remained standing silence, slowly shifting to the side. It wasn't only after a few moments of silence that Fouquet actually spoke. "What makes you think they'll listen to you?"

A woman's voice. I see; and now that I'm actually close enough to see the shape of her body more clearly, I noticed the soft curves of a woman's physique. Clearly, Fouquet took care of herself.

I like a woman who takes of herself.

"Tell me, would you disregard the words of a mage hunter with an unknown power in land populated with mages as nobility? I don't think so, else you're an idiot." I chuckled lightly and shook my head. "Will you consider my option?"

Fouquet regarded me for a moment, then chuckled lightly. "Another would not give me that consideration. Why?"

I shrugged, "For one, I'm not a noble, so it's not personal. You're not stealing from _me_, so I couldn't care less. However," I gestured to Louise, "She clearly cares, so I'm fighting to defend what's in that vault."

I caught her shadowed smirk, "So you know why I'm here."

"Yeah, I kind of do." I said with a shrug. "You're a thief; then again, so am I. Once a thief, always a thief; that type of thing. Also, considering you went out of your way to have a ward set up around this area proves to me that you don't want to kill anyone."

"How do you figure?"

"If you wanted to kill, you would have rampaged through the audience during the exhibition. Everyone's distracted by rich kids' new pets, so it's an opportune time to attack." I paused and released a small laugh, "You're a mage, yet you're not a noble, I'm guessing. Which means you should've lost your title." Once again, I paused. Wincing, I said, "Sorry if I opened an old wound."

She shook her head, "Don't be. You're exactly right."

I cleared my throat, "You're without your title, so you've lost the money to sustain yourself. You're stealing from other nobles. Though, from the infamy you've gained, Fouquet, I can adequately guess that you've been stealing for much long than you may have needed. Which means you're not stealing for yourself, but to help another." I paused and shrugged, "Unless you live a rather expensive lifestyle and need the extra funds to survive."

Fouquet let out a small laugh, "You sure know what you're talking about. I find it hard to believe you got all of that from just this little skirmish."

"You'd be surprised what ten years of investigative duty does for your deductive skills. There are others better than me, but I'm confident in my ability to read people." I narrowed my eyes and smiled lightly. "You're stalling, getting me to talk so much."

"So are you." Fouquet replied with a smile of her own. "Either that, or love to hear yourself speak."

"That is a definite possibility." I said with a wide grin. I took a small step forward, which caused her to lift her wand in retaliation. "I take it I've been wasting my breath, trying to convince you?"

"I wouldn't go that far. You're rather charming, for a Familiar." Fouquet remarked, holding her wand ready.

I held my swords ready, smirking under my mask. "I try. Though that 'Familiar' part was unwarranted."

She glanced to the side, then back to me. "Your master doesn't look so good, right now. I think you better go to her."

I narrowed my eyes and quickly glanced to Louise. The girl looked to be on her last legs, swaying ever so lightly. As a trained soldier, I could tell in an instant: the traits of fatigue were setting in. The shivering limbs; the deep gasping breaths; the far off look in the eyes; the swaying posture.

"I think it's best you reach her before my golem does."

I took a quick step back out of reflex and watched as the giant golems fist pulled back threw forward. I threw a look to Fouquet and said, "We'll meet again, I can guarantee it." Throwing myself to the side, I allowed my body to drop alongside the front of the golem.

"Partner! What are you doing?" Derf asked me, finally chiming in after his silence.

"Something insane." I replied with a grin. Quickly spinning my swords in my grasp, I stabbed them both into the golem to stop my descent. Quickly orienting my body so that it was aiming for Louise, I bent my legs and pushed against the golem's body. Sucking a breath, I watched out the corner of my eye as the fist flew closer to her. Twisting the swords ever so slightly, I kicked forward, ripping them free. The sudden force my legs created, now released by my swords being pulled from the golem, shot me towards Louise. My body rocketed ahead of the flying fist and released one of my swords, allowing it to land in the ground, blade first. Throwing out my arm, I grabbed Louise mid-flight and stabbed my other sword into the ground, twisting mid-air and slammed my feet back onto solid ground.

Stabbing Derflinger into the earth, I slowed my acceleration along the ground. Within a few seconds, we came to a sudden stop, the sudden shift of inertia shaking Louise in my firm grasp. Gently placing Louise on the ground, I helped her into a sitting posture and stood. "Wait here. I'll finish up. Don't do anything more." Planting my foot, I leaned forward and kicked off my leading foot. Moving as fast as I possibly could, I blurred across the field and threw out my hand. Snatching my sword out of the ground, I raced towards the golem and leapt up and onto a striking fist. Allowing my arms to hang slack, yet still hold onto the hilts of my swords firmly, I felt them tear into the golem's arm. Ascending the limb, I reached the shoulder and pivoted violently to the side. Letting out a cry, I pushed both swords into the golem's shoulder and slashed outwards with as much force as I could muster, both physically and enchanted.

There was a massive crash as the arm fell free of the golem's body, colliding with the ground. I jumped back onto its shoulder and was about to race forward, when something in my periphery caught my attention. Quickly turning my head, I saw Louise standing on her two feet, wand arm outstretched and pointing the focus of her magic at the golem once more. Her body continued to sway, but her gaze was sharp and focused. Seeing her like that, I couldn't help but feel a little proud of her for continuing to fight in spite of her exhaustion, but it was quickly overshadowed by my frustration at her for doing exactly the opposite of what I said.

"Fireball!"

Her voice echoed outward and I heard a shattering sound all around us, followed by the sounds of cheers and the flapping of wings.

"It seems the barrier keeping this area silent just gave out." I muttered as I raced for Fouquet.

However, my thoughts were quickly pulled away from my charge as I felt my instinct scream for me to get the hell away. I looked down to Louise and saw her fall to the side. I had hoped her spell would go off and hit the golem as it had before, but it seems her sudden movement changed the target of the spell from the golem...

...To the damn tower housing the vault.

An Orcish curse left my lips as I raced forward in spite of my instincts. My foot slammed into the golem as I leapt forward. Seeing my approach, Fouquet lifted her wand and didn't point it at me, but the place I was about to land. The spell left her mouth as my foot landed on the golem, but instead of hitting solid earth, it was pulled into something akin to quicksand. My right leg was pulled in all the way to the knee and locked in place, keeping me still. Looking up to her, everything suddenly started to go in slow motion as I saw the shadowed smirk under her hood and the explosion hit the wall of the vault. Closing my eyes, I reopened them with my Aura vision in place. I watched as the wards around the tower give way to the force of Louise's spell.

Wait? It destroyed the wards like it destroyed pieces of the golem. The magic that Louise was using wasn't fire, nor was it wind. Earth is completely out of the equation and this definitely doesn't happen with water, at least not instantly. What was the fifth element of this world again?

Void.

Seeing it through my Aura Vision, I was completely pulled into the sheer _emptiness_ of the spell. It was as if reality itself was touched by it's complete opposite and nothing was left. Louise's 'Fireball' was turning matter into absolutely nothing, erasing it from the very fabric of reality.

I was no longer uncertain. Louise _does_ have a magical affinity and it's the lost element.

That was what went through my head as I watched Fouquet leap into the now open vault and jump out, carrying a pair of rectangular boxes. She spoke another spell and another golem climbed out of the larger golem. Taking a seat on its shoulder, she waved lightly, "It's been fun, Familiar, but I have to go."

I grunted, feeling a little pissed at my capture, but said, "I have a name, you know."

She smirked, "I know." The golem raced forward and leapt off of the larger golem, getting over the wall in a single bound.

I lifted a fist and slammed it into the golem in frustration. "Dammit." I turned and looked over my shoulder, watching as Fouquet and her golem vanished over the wall. Releasing a breath, I placed both of my fists on the golem below me and pushed. I was still holding my swords, so the strength granted to me by the runes allowed my to forcibly pull my leg free. Getting to my feet, I brushed my leg off and sheathed both of my swords. Turning, I walked off of the golem and jumped over the edge. Pulling out a dagger it, I stabbed it into the now crumbling golem and felt the small blade tear through the rock. My descent was slow and gradual, but I could take my time now.

Upon reaching the ground, I put my dagger away and felt the enchantment wear off. I didn't crumble as I expected, considering I pushed my body a bit hard in that fight. Honestly, I was expecting my body to pay for the sudden exertions I took in that battle against Fouquet and her giant golem, but for it to not to have any averse side effects struck me as too good to be true. There has to be something more to this power than just increased physical capability.

Looking to Louise, I moved quickly over to her. She was lying on the ground, not moving. I helped her up and held my hand in front of her mouth. "Still breathing. Good."

It was at that moment that people started appearing.

I scooped up the petite Louise in my arms and watched as the armed guard meant to protect Henrietta lead the charge. The princess, who lead the group, saw the two of us and gasped, "Louise!" She raced ahead, causing one of her guard to cry out her name.

Man, these guys are bad at their job.

As Henrietta reached us, I said, "She's fine, princess. Louise just overexerted herself, is all."

That seemed to calm her down.

I looked around the group to see the Headmaster pushing his way through the group, followed by Colbert. "What happened here?" The old man questioned pretty much everyone here.

"Fouquet happened." I said bluntly and gestured to the gaping hole in the vault at the top of the tower. "Punched a damn hole in it with that golem before I could destroy it." The lie flowed out easily; I couldn't have people learning of Louise's affinity too early.

That elicited a pause from practically everyone there. They were all focused on me after I spoke, clearly bewildered at my nonchalance.

"You fought _that_ golem on your own and...destroyed it?" Colbert spoke slowly, as though I had completely destroyed his sense of reality.

I nodded quickly, trying to hurry everything along. "Yeah, I did. Pain in my behind too. Dodging attacks that could crush you on a graze is not a fun experience. I'd rather avoid a repeat performance if at all possible."

One of the guards pointed at the golem, "You cut off the golem's arm? With a sword?"

I gave him a frustrated look and groaned lightly, "No, I kicked it in the shin so hard it crumbled. _Of course_, I cut it off with my sword." I rolled my eyes and looked to the princess and continued, "You really need to look into getting better guards. Maybe a few that have some brains too."

"Hey!" The guard took a step towards me, but was stopped by one of his comrades.

"To have beaten a giant rock golem single-handedly... You truly are a formidable commoner, Lyall." The headmaster said softly, giving me a measured look.

I shook my head, then shrugged my shoulders, "I wouldn't say I did _all_ the work. Shorty here helped out a bit." I moved my arms a bit, to emphasizing the tiny person who was currently unconscious.

"Wait, Zero helped fight the golem?" One of the students in the mob spoke out loud.

"You're damn right she did!" I said with a grin. "You see those craters in its chest and the one on its shoulder? Little Miss Explosion did that while I was distracting Fouquet." I then clicked my tongue in frustration, glaring off to the side. "Then she had to trap my leg and get away."

At that instant, Louise groaned lightly, finally rejoining me in the land of conscious. "Lyall, did we beat her?" Her eyes slowly opened as she looked up to me.

Before I could answer, Henrietta quickly spoke, "Louise Francoise, are you well?"

Louise jerked lightly in surprise. "Princess!? What are you doing here? Fouquet is still nearby!"

"No, she isn't; she got away." I explained to her, my voice deadpanned.

Louise gasped then looked down. "I'm sorry, Lyall..."

I grinned, though my mask was still on, and replied, "Don't be; you fought against a more experienced opponent and lived to tell the tale. That's a success in my book."

"Yet, you still let Fouquet escape." The same guard from earlier remarked.

I threw him a glare. "Says the guy who allows the princess to get away from him." His eyes widened as he tried to walk up to me, but was once again stopped by one of his comrades. "Before you talk to me about my job, how about you makes sure you do yours. Then you can say your piece."

Old Osmond cleared his throat, "Enough squabbling, there's something I need to know. Do you have any clue what was stolen?"

I opened my mouth to take a guess, but the sudden arrival of Miss Longueville cut me off. She appeared from around the corner nearing the inner part of the academy and pushed her way through the mob of students and teachers. "The Staff of Destruction and Blade of Ruin are gone!"

I sighed lightly and gestured towards her, "She took the words right out of my mouth."

* * *

"So, you won after all, Tabitha." I said to the blue-haired who walked alongside Louise and I. It's been about a day since Fouquet's thievery and rumors had appeared all around the academy that I had single-handedly destroyed the rock golem, grinding it into dust under heel while cackling like a madman.

While I enjoyed the embellishment, it also caused Louise to be a bit ornery when it came to that specific rumor, considering it pushed her out of the fight entirely. Her overreaction when we first heard it was rather entertaining, considering she very nearly used one of her explosive 'fireballs'. It's good thing she didn't, either, since she was still recovering from her extreme exertion that came with repeatedly casting her spells.

As of this very moment, Louise and I, along with Tabitha and Kirche, were walking up to Old Osmond's office due to a summons Louise had.

The quiet girl only nodded her head, simply reading her book.

"Oh, Darling, I wish I was there to witness your exciting display of dominance!" Kirche proclaimed from her spot on the opposite side of Tabitha. I had purposefully place the small girl between the two of us.

I released a small breath, "For the last time, I did not fight the giant rock golem for dominance! I fought it because it was not supposed to be here!" In spite of those words, I couldn't help but know that Kirche would continually say that I did.

The four of us reached the headmaster's office and were let inside by Colbert. The three girls walked in first and approached the front desk. I entered after them and looked around the office. The various teachers of the academy were all inside and speaking amongst themselves, clearly shaken by the sudden appearance Fouquet had made yesterday. When I walked inside the room, a sudden silence overtook everyone as they noticed my arrival. Stopping at the entrance, I looked to everyone slowly, taking the wary gazes and glares. A small smile appeared on my face as I proceeded my slow pace up to Louise and the rest. Taking my place behind my petite Master, I crossed my arms and waited.

"I'm sure all of you are wondering why I called you here, yes?" Old Osmond gently questioned the three girls before him, clearly leaving me out of the loop. Understandable, I _am_ the Familiar after all. It seems the Familiar's deeds are the Master's. Great, looks like I'll have to fight even harder to be recognized. _If_ I want to be recognized; a little anonymity could help with moving about...

"Actually, Headmaster, I'm confident that it has to do with my involvement in the actions taken against Fouquet. Though..." Louise began, looking over to Tabitha and Kirche. "...I don't know why they are here."

Kirche simply smiled and said, "I was curious why the Headmaster called Zero. So I decided to tag along."

Louise looked to Tabitha. The girl continued to read her book.

Colbert cleared his throat, "In actuality, he called them as well. You see, Miss Zerbst is a rather powerful Flame Mage from Germania, a country known for its military strength." Kirche puffed out her chest and smiled haughtily at the murmuring around the room. He continued, "Also, we have Tabitha, who is a Chevalier from Gallia."

There were even more murmurs at this; it also caught my attention. I may not know much about Halkegenia, there's one thing that's universal. Titles pertaining to knighthood and battle prowess are earned, not bought or inherited. Whatever Tabitha has done to earn that title, she's definitely not someone I can scoff at, unlike all of the other kids at this academy.

When Colbert got to Louise, however, he hesitated. "Finally, here we have Louise Francoise... She's..." Said person smiled widely and waited for her praise. Unfortunately, it came in a rather disappointing form. "She...she...comes a distinguished family! The Vallière family has helped the crown several times in the past." There was also murmur with that, but it was the 'honorable mention' of murmurs.

What the hell is up with these teachers? Are they a bunch of schoolchildren? What is up with all the murmuring!? It's really starting to get on my nerves!

After a moment, Colbert looked to me and cleared his throat. "In addition, Miss Vallière is the only known noble to have summoned a commoner as a Familiar, the legendary Gand-!" He was quickly interrupted by the Headmaster.

"The ultimate reason we called all of you here is that there is a need to form a group to locate and capture Fouquet. We must bring back the Staff of Destruction and Blade of Ruin."

My eyebrow arched at that. I opened my mouth to say something, but paused. I wasn't acknowledged at all by the Headmaster, so I'm going to assume my presence is like that of a dog or a housecat. Damn snooty nobles...

In addition, whatever Colbert was about to say caught my attention the most. Could the runes on my hand have something to do with that 'Gand' thing?

Suppressing a sigh, I leaned down and whispered something into Louise's ear.

The girl jumped at my sudden movement, but nodded. She cleared her throat and asked, "Headmaster, how do we know that Fouquet hasn't already disappeared?"

At that, Miss Longueville stepped up. "We've heard rumors that the thief has been sighted in the forest several miles to the north."

I narrowed my eyes, feeling a little wary of this new development. Rumors? Already? A whole twenty four hours haven't already passed and rumors are already being sent around?

"Yes. In order to alleviate some of the chaos brought on by Fouquet's sudden thievery, we're going to organize a small group of individuals to retake the artifacts and capture Fouquet." Old Osmond said with finality.

A literal witch hunt, eh? I could get down with that.

But still, this was too simple. Any competent thief disappears as soon as possible, moving as subtly and as quietly as possible. This is was too good to be true. Regardless of that, I needed to be in that group. If there's anyone with a ghost of a chance to catch a thief with a day's head start, that would be me.

"Do we have any volunteers?"

There was silence amongst everyone as they waited for the first volunteer. They looked to each other slowly, waiting. There were hesitant fidgets, but no one came close to even rolling a shoulder, let alone lifting an arm. I blinked once in shock, then felt my jaw drop in surprise. No one. None of the teachers of the academy were volunteering to hunt down the person who put their students in danger. Wow; back in the Shieldlands, they would've had to start a lottery to lessen the amount of participants.

Rolling my eyes, I leaned down to Louise and whispered in her ear.

She blinked in surprise and looked over to me.

I motioned forward and smirked.

Louise was silent for a few moments before nodding. Turning away from me, she pulled out her wand and lifted her arm into the air. "I volunteer."

I crossed my arms and smirked at the surprised look on Colbert's face.

"Are you sure, Miss Vallière? Fouquet is rumored to be a Triangle level mage." Her teacher warned her.

Louise was silent for a moment before shaking her head. "It makes no difference, Mr. Colbert. I have a duty to do as a student of this academy." She paused and smiled lightly, "Besides, I think I'll be safe enough."

I felt my smirk grow into a grin as I resisted the urge to pat her head.

Colbert blinked in confusion, then quickly looked up to me, realization dawning on him. "Of course, Miss Vallière. I'm sorry for doubting you." He smiled softly.

"I also volunteer. I can't let Zero have all the fun, after all." Kirche lifted her wand in the same manner.

Then, in a silent affirmation, Tabitha lifted her hooked staff, while still reading her book.

"Tabitha?" Kirche questioned.

"Worried." She responded succinctly.

Old Osmond smiled lightly, "Well, it's good to know our students embody the values we find important. Hopefully others can do the same." He said, clearly a little peeved at his teachers for not stepping up.

"Headmaster, I can accompany them as well." Miss Longueville said to the old man.

"Okay, we have our group. You're to leave as soon as possible. I wish all of you luck."

* * *

I sat back in the small carriage, propping up my feet on the opposite side and hands held behind my head. My hood was pulled up and over my eyes, protecting them from the sunlight as we moved along a dirt road in the direction Fouquet was seen fleeing.

"Shouldn't you be, I don't know, keeping watch?" Louise asked me.

"I am. It just doesn't look like it." I said while fooling with a toothpick I had swiped from the kitchens. Moving it around with my mouth, I shifted my arms a little to the side, trying to gain more comfort in this moving carriage.

"Let me guess: this is something you learned from years of experience?" Louise asked me, her voice dry.

I beamed and pulled my hood up, eyeing her lightly. "Bingo, Shorty. Looks like you _are_ learning."

Louise scowled at me, clearly still not enjoying my new nickname for her.

"Oh, calm down, Zero. Darling has been through quite a bit. He deserves to rest." Kirche spoke, her voice containing a sultry a tone to it. She was sitting opposite from Louise and at my feet. She started the ride off a little peeved since she wanted to sit next to me; however, Louise shut her down real quick.

Tabitha, on the other hand, was next to Kirche and engrossed in her book.

"While what you say is correct, Kirche, it'll take much more than a fight with a golem to tire me out." I said nonchalantly, going back to relaxing.

Kirche hummed lightly, "I see, what you're saying is that you have a lot of stamina, huh?"

Arching an eyebrow under my hood, I simply released a breath. "Yes, that is what I'm saying; though you are clearly twisting my meaning." I replied tiredly.

"You're rather strange for a Familiar, Mr. Lyall." Miss Longueville stepped into the conversation deftly, preventing Kirche's further attempt at seducing me. "I mean, you're a commoner who can fight a golem as tall as the academy's highest tower without much trouble. What kind of world do you come from to make you be so...skilled?"

I peeked out from under my hood at the secretary. "I come from a world at war, Miss Longueville. Over ninety percent of my home country is overrun by the minions of a dark demi-god. Some skill in defending yourself is kind of a prerequisite to survive." I tried not sound too dark, but I think speaking in a very happy, upbeat tone while saying that would cause someone to question my sanity.

"Wow, I...I had no idea..." She said softly.

I shrugged lightly, "It's no big deal. At first, it does get you down; but we took every victory we could and escaped alive if we failed. We fought as hard as we could as often as we could." I explained it as succinctly as I could, while still sounding as humble as I could. "As for the golem, that attacked the academy it was the biggest I've seen, but at the same time, the weakest."

That got a reaction from Miss Longueville, a subtle, easily missed one, but I caught it nonetheless. "Really? How so?"

"Yeah, I wondered that too." Louise said. "I remember your confidence fighting it. How could you have known you would be able to beat it without me?" That last part sounded a little prideful, but I let it slip. Her one accomplishment was being pushed aside within the school's rumors.

"It's the weakest because I was able to cut through it so easily. It was nothing but a collection of rock held together by magic. Not to insult Fouquet, I can recognize that it is a feat to control something so large, but compared to the golems from my world, it was rather lackluster." I cleared my throat, about to start a lecture in magical comparison and theory. Oh, God, if only would Auren would see me now... "Before anyone jump down my throat for being vague, I'll explain. The golem from yesterday was just rock, nothing more, nothing less. However, the golems from my world are held together though a variety of regents and spells; to which can cause a collection of different golems to be formed. The strongest one I've faced would be an iron golem. They're just as I've called them, a golem made entirely of iron. However, they're enchanted to take a hell of a lot of punishment before they fall." I had to hold back a shudder, remembering past skirmishes with one or two.

"That's informative and uninformative at the exact same time." Louise said in a frustrated tone of voice.

I snorted, "If you wanted to a full blown lecture on the nuances and subtleties of magic, then you're asking the wrong guy. My knowledge is the application of magic and how it affects the battlefield."

"So, they teach commoners how magic works in your world?" Miss Longueville asked me from the driver's seat.

I regarded her silently for a moment, then nodded, "Yes and no. Yes, in that anyone can become a mage if they have the patience and intelligence to sit and research. And no, because some people just lack the ability to learn it. I'm part of the latter. I don't have the patience to learn and I don't have the bloodline to know it."

"Then how is it you came to know how your world's magic works?" She asked again.

Hah, I know your game, lady. You just alerted the wrong guy.

"I have to know what I know because I'm a hunter. As archaic and crass as it sounds, hunting mages is a lot like hunting a wild animal. You have to know what your quarry is capable of, inside and out. If you don't, then the hunter becomes the hunted. It's as simple as that." I explained gently, a small smile gracing my lips.

"What drove you becoming a mage hunter, then?" The secretary asked me.

"I was tired of mages holding their power over me. Sure, I could hold my own in a one on one fight, but there's something about watching a guy throw around fireballs and lightning bolts that makes you hesitant." I paused and pushed my hood off of my head, though my hair still covered my foreheads and ears. "I won't lie, it frightened me. It shook me to the core. You'd have to be a suicidal idiot not to feel fear in the presence of that. Regardless, I pushed on, confident that I could handle myself." I shook my head, a rueful smile on my face. "I was arrogant. It took a disastrous failure at the hands of one of the enemy's most powerful spellcasters to open my eyes to one disillusioning fact."

Louise regarded me with wide eyes. "What?"

"I needed specialized training; something more rigorous and dangerous in order to better prepare me for a second encounter." I lifted hand and tapped the hilt of my black blade. "That was when I decided to train to be an Occult Slayer, a mage hunter." I felt a grin appear on my face. "I took to it like a fish to water."

Derf poked his head out of the sheathe, "If that's the case, then you're a lot like the commoners in this world."

My smile remained, though it shrunk. "Yeah, I am. Which is why I'm going to make it my business to show every stick-up-their-ass noble that anyone can be strong, regardless of birth. I'll show them that a commoner _can_ beat a noble." I crossed my arms and smirked.

"Oh... Darling, that's so righteous!" Kirche leapt from her end of the carriage and jumped on top of me, pulling my head into her cleavage.

Louise cried out as the carriage was jostled violently by the sudden shift in weight.

"Zerbst! Get your chest off of Lyall's face!"

Moments before Kirche jumped me, I couldn't help but notice one striking thing. Miss Longueville had a look in her eyes. It was one I could recognize in an instant. Resolve. She was going to do something.

The question was this: what?

* * *

We came upon a small cabin in a large clearing surrounded by trees. I regarded with narrowed eyes, looking it over with a practiced scan. Old habits die hard and this was no different; the cabin was rather conspicuous in that it sat in the middle of basically nowhere. To use it would be both obscenely stupid and ingenious. Genius because it's in the middle of nowhere and stupid because it's obvious that someone would use it to hide themselves or something important.

"This was the last known place that Fouquet was seen. It would be safe to assume that this is where the thief could be hiding the artifacts." Miss Longueville explained to the four of us.

I remained silent, allowing my senses to widen. Looking around the ground surrounding us, I checked for traps of various types, the kinds that could be easily be hidden in the brush.

"Lyall, what do you think? Have you ever done something like this before?" Louise asked me, whispering softly. She was behind me and to the right, looking around my arm and at the cabin.

"Countless times." I replied absent-mindedly. I took a slow step forward, lightly dragging the toe of my greave across the dirt. "It's basically a simple sting operation. We know where the target could be hiding..." Placing a hand onto a tree, I continued to look around. "However, we're at a disadvantage..."

"Why?" Louise asked me.

"Enemy territory." Tabitha replied succinctly, striding passed me and towards the cabin.

I smirked and followed after her. "Exactly. We're in an unknown area that our target has been in before. The chance of her laying traps in order to thin us out is high. There's also the fact that she may have a few earth golems hiding in wait." I walked into the clearing and headed towards the cabin.

There was a silence that trailed my explanation as Tabitha and I approached the cabin. When the two of us reached it, I looked to her and gestured to the windows. She nodded slightly and walked around the side. I went up to the door and gently placed a hand onto it. Closing my eyes, I slowly and softly dragged my hand down the hardwood. Softly prodding it at intervals, I felt no resistance from a possible trap. Opening my eyes, I grabbed the knob and turned slowly.

"Darling, what makes you think Fouquet is a woman? You said 'she'?" Kirche asked me as I looked around for traps.

I shrugged a single shoulder, "I knew the moment I got within arm's reach. The sound of her voice; the shape of her body; the way she moved. I've met and been with enough women to know how to read the most subtle cues. While Fouquet was wearing a heavy cloak, she couldn't fully conceal her gender." After a quick cursory glance of the building, I found no traps.

Turning, I faced Tabitha, Louise and Kirche. Furrowing my brow, I asked, "Where's Miss Longueville?"

"She said she was going to scout around, to try and keep an eye out for Fouquet." Louise explained to me.

I released a small breath. Pointing inside, I said, "Someone grab the artifacts, we need to leave. Now." I strode into the center of the clearing. "Tabitha, I'm gonna need you to call Sylphid."

The little mage nodded her head and lifted her wand.

"What's wrong, partner?" Derf stuck out of his sheath slightly.

I felt a grin appear on my face. "We're about to have a rematch with Fouquet and I'm not going to get caught in her damn trap this time."

"Lyall, what's wrong?" Louise asked as she and Kirche walked out of the cabin, each carrying a rectangular box.

I lifted my hand and pulled up my mask. Drawing both of my swords, I allowed my arms to hang slack. "Fouquet is about to pay us a visit..." I lowered my head and closed my eyes, listening for where the attack may be coming.

"What do you mean? We have the artifacts; shouldn't we leave now?" Louise asked me, her voice sounding perplexed.

"Our job here was two-fold: reclaiming the artifacts and capturing Fouquet. The way I see it, there were two groups working on this: you, Tabitha and Kirche, then Miss Longueville and I." I paused, still listening for an incoming golem. "The three of you would get the artifacts and bring them back. While Miss Longueville and I would deal with Fouquet." I grinned under my mask. "She's simply pushing her way towards me."

I heard Louise suck in a breath to say something, but my instincts screamed at me. Turning quickly in her direction, I cried out, "Get down!" Throwing my right arm forward, I released the black sword from my grasp and watched it fly.

Swords are not meant to be thrown. They're just not meant to be used that way. The way weight is distributed throughout the weapon make it cumbersome, too prone to failure, for the tactic to actually be sound. You can't add the constant presence of your strength to the attacks with a thrown weapon as you can with a melee weapon; all it does is leave you weaponless.

However, people don't normally have the enchanted strength I've been given through the runes. In addition, a thrown dagger wouldn't have the weight needed to do the damage I needed to be done. I wouldn't throw Derf, since he specifically requested to never be thrown again. So, I had to throw my mage-bane adamantine blade.

The black sword sang a whistling note that rang of death as it soared tip over hilt towards my intended target.

Louise and Kirche ducked to the side as the sword flew by them and ripped through an earthen golem that rose out of the ground. The sword gored it in the chest, but didn't slow down at all. The golem was also thrown back and crashed into the cabin, bringing it crashing down.

I turned and faced the forest, seeing the trees being forcefully parted to allow the passage of a familiar sized golem. However, this one had no one standing on its shoulder. I looked up to the earthen monstrosity and clicked my tongue in consternation. I had thrown away the one sword that could turn this thing into dust. Looking back on it, I could tell that it was a stupid mistake, but I'm not perfect. Taking a few steps back, I called out, "Whoever has that Blade of Ruin, toss it to me!"

"What?! You want to use a priceless artifact to fight?!" Louise said in shocked disgust.

"It's a frickin' sword, for god's sake! It's meant to be used in combat! Give it to me!"

"No! I'll get you the sword you threw!"

My eyes widened as I watched her rush towards the cabin. "No! Don't touch my sword, Louise!"

She stopped and gave me a shocked look. She was about to say one thing, but stopped and pointed to the golem. "Look out!"

I turned towards the golem just in time to see its giant fist soaring towards me. I narrowed my eyes and leapt up and away from it, evading the attack by a large margin. Although I was sure I could defeat it with just Derf, I wasn't going to risk fighting the golem without using two swords. I'd prefer to be safe, rather than risk fighting at half of my efficiency. "Kirche! Open your case and tell me what's inside!" I jumped away, evading another attack.

The redhead opened hers and smiled widely, "It's a sword, Darling! A rather beautiful one at that!"

I grinned widely, "Awesome! Toss it over!"

"Anything for you, Darling!" She lifted her wand and waved it lightly, causing the sword to levitate out of the box.

The moment I saw the sword, I nearly froze in place. The hilt and guard were a deceptively simple decoration. A white cloth was wrapped around the hilt and looked freshly done, as it flowed into the pommel, a white gem that twinkled lightly. The guard of the sword curved lightly towards the inside of the hilt. The sheath was of simple make, but had a worn image near hilt. The image was of a shield and pair of crossed swords.

It can't be... Is that my...

"Darling! Here!" She pointed her wand forward, causing the sword to rocket towards me.

Throwing my hand outwards, I caught the sword by hilt and crashed back onto the ground in a crouch. Leaping away from the golem, I stabbed Derf into the earth and used my now free hand to take the new sword's sheath. As I did, though, I felt a small pulse of magic echo outwards, then disperse slowly.

"Partner, what are you doing?!"

"Trying to figure something out." I explained softly as I unsheathed the sword with a hiss of steel. Holding the sword at arms-length in front of me, I looked through the semi-translucent blade at the golem in front of me. The blade was flickered in the sunlight as I slashed to the side, fully removing it from the sheath. "This...is _my_ sword. What the hell is it doing _here_?"

The weight of the sword was almost nonexistent, as the metal it was made from, mithral, was famous for weighing next to nothing. My hand perfectly fit the subtle shape of the hilt, which was thinner than the norm but a few inches longer. I flipped the sword in my grasp, feeling as though I was only holding a feather. A very sharp, and very lethal feather. Grabbing Derf by the hilt, I pulled it from the earth and pointed my mithral blade at the golem.

"Wherever you are, Fouquet, let me warn you. If you thought your golem fell apart easily before, then prepare to be shocked." I spoke loud enough for her to hear.

As if in response, the golem stepped forward a step and threw another punch.

I smirked, "Don't blink." Almost as soon as the thought came to mind, I was standing on top of the golem's shoulder. The arm that threw the punch, began to crumble as each second passed. Several slash marks decorated the earthen limb, which soon began to cause the arm to fall free, separating into countless pieces.

"Partner! How did you move that fast? I don't remember the last Gandalfr moving _that_ fast?" Derf exclaimed in shock.

Gandalfr?

"This sword is enchanted with magic that increases the speed of its wielder." I lifted it and looked at it with inquisitive eyes. "However, I've never moved _that_ fast before..." Shaking my head, I turned and looked down at the golem I stood on top of. "I'll think about that later. Now, I've got a golem to annihilate." Crouching, I leapt into the air. Drawing my swords back, I allowed gravity to take hold of my body and force it back down towards the golem.

As I fell, I began to tear into the golem with both of my swords, moving as fast as my enchanted body allowed. The mound of rock that stood between me and the earth was eaten away by the rapid, continuous slashes with frightening ease. The golem tried to lift its remaining limb to defend against my onslaught, but I quickly cut it free from its body.

When I finally reached the earth, I landed in a crouch. Standing, I turned and casually walked away from the remains of the golem: a mist of rock and dust.

"Fouquet! Come on out! I know you're there."

Silence greeted my words as I looked around my surroundings. I looked to the cabin to see the three girls watching me with wide eyes. Louise was pointing towards me, her mouth hanging open in shock. Kirche was watching me with a single hand on her thigh. Tabitha simply had her book lowered and regarded me with an empty stare.

"I thought I told the three of you to leave." I said softly.

Louise dropped the box she was holding, which caused it pop open and the contents to roll out.

I felt my eyes widen as I saw the item that used to reside in a simple black box. A long wooden staff, shod in iron and inscribed with various runes and sigils, rolled harmlessly along the ground. Though I had only seen one or two in my entire life, I knew without a doubt how dangerous these things really were.

That was a fucking Staff of the Magi.

When did protecting a young girl turn into such a dangerous task?


End file.
